Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kataragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kataragama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $521 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $850 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,180 in Kataragama, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 340% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Kataragama is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$3.94 LKR 1,323

310.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$25.19 LKR 8,463

151.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$8.32 LKR 2,795

24.04%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.68 LKR 900

5.60%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €2.01

$0.68 LKR 228

236.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.40 LKR 134

295.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.30 LKR 773

47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$3.44 LKR 1,155

17.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.78 LKR 598

-38.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.52 LKR 175

236.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.83 LKR 278

112.05%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.14 LKR 718

48.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$14.13 LKR 4,747

-6.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.56 LKR 1,532

74.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$7.92 LKR 2,662

96.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$7.66 LKR 2,574

-69.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.12 LKR 376

52.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$5.72 LKR 1,922

-64.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.22 LKR 409

99.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.10 LKR 370

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.36 LKR 456

49.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.15 LKR 387

66.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.60 LKR 203

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$9.96 LKR 3,347

-33.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$12.53 LKR 4,211

-55.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.02 LKR 678

-34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.83 LKR 952

4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.38 LKR 129

1013.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.32 LKR 109

153.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$0.61 LKR 204

2922.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.22 LKR 409

70.49%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.7K €30.4K

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

29.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.2K €34.3K

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

14.14%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 €130

$59.8 LKR 20.1K

147.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.46 €17.92

$4.34 LKR 1,460

371.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$15.17 LKR 5,098

160.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$3.40 LKR 1,142

171.18%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$616 €540

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

1604.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$439 LKR 147.6K

3642.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$27.16 LKR 9,125

278.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$19.26 LKR 6,472

116.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

36.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$39.51 LKR 13.3K

208.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.45

-76.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $256 – making Kataragama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 340% more than Kataragama, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $781 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,291 in Lisbon and $521 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $36.14 in Kataragama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $521, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Kataragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $521 versus $2,291 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kataragama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.