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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $525 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $867 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,210 in Kataragama, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 321% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Kataragama is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.90 LKR 1,294

307.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$25.32 LKR 8,395

155.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.30 LKR 2,752

26.63%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.72 LKR 901

5.51%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.69 LKR 230

224.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.40 LKR 134

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.41 LKR 798

44.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.45 LKR 1,144

12.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.72 LKR 570

-33.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.53 LKR 175

230.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.87 LKR 290

102.30%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.15 LKR 711

49.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.96 LKR 4,629

-3.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.76 LKR 1,579

66.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$7.94 LKR 2,633

99.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$7.28 LKR 2,414

-68.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.07 LKR 354

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$5.77 LKR 1,912

-65.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.24 LKR 412

98.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.15 LKR 382

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.35 LKR 447

48.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.15 LKR 381

67.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.59 LKR 196

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$10.01 LKR 3,318

-33.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$12.61 LKR 4,180

-54.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.00 LKR 662

-31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.84 LKR 940

4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.39 LKR 129

1000.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.32 LKR 107

156.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$0.56 LKR 187

3167.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.20 LKR 399

71.67%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

26.92%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$34.2K LKR 11.3M

15.00%

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

$148 €127

$60.4 LKR 20.0K

144.86%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$4.23 LKR 1,402

385.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$15.00 LKR 4,973

164.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$3.28 LKR 1,088

179.88%

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

$614 €528

$36.54 LKR 12.1K

1580.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$448 LKR 148.5K

3483.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$27.77 LKR 9,207

276.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$19.36 LKR 6,418

117.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$68.7 LKR 22.8K

36.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$39.31 LKR 13.0K

204.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $255 – 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 321% 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $788 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $525 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $36.54 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 $525, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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 $525 versus $2,210 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.