Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kurunegala Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kurunegala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $445 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $745 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,044 in Kurunegala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 408% more expensive than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Kurunegala is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$1.97 LKR 658

709.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$25.57 LKR 8,530

147.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$5.14 LKR 1,713

101.95%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.74 LKR 913

1.82%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.40 LKR 133

485.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.37 LKR 125

324.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.98 LKR 659

73.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.90 LKR 969

34.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.65 LKR 549

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.51 LKR 171

247.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.81 LKR 270

111.11%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.19 LKR 730

43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$14.25 LKR 4,752

-4.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.73 LKR 1,577

69.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$8.27 LKR 2,760

87.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$7.33 LKR 2,445

-68.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.07 LKR 355

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$5.71 LKR 1,903

-66.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.21 LKR 403

107.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.16 LKR 386

54.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.41 LKR 472

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.15 LKR 385

71.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.55 LKR 184

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$10.16 LKR 3,389

-33.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$12.66 LKR 4,223

-55.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.02 LKR 674

-31.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.87 LKR 958

5.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.31 LKR 105

632.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.41 LKR 138

946.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.33 LKR 109

157.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$0.58 LKR 192

3051.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.20 LKR 401

65.83%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

30.23%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$35.1K LKR 11.7M

12.51%

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

$146 €126

$26.57 LKR 8,864

450.17%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$1.97 LKR 657

938.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$15.05 LKR 5,021

159.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$8.43 LKR 2,812

481.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$1.37 LKR 456

594.89%

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

$608 €524

$37.39 LKR 12.5K

1526.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$436 LKR 145.5K

3684.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$11.82 LKR 3,942

778.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$19.06 LKR 6,359

120.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$44.04 LKR 14.7K

109.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$39.34 LKR 13.1K

205.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$98.7 LKR 32.9K

1542.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$199 LKR 66.3K

1434.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$147 LKR 48.9K

980.27%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $98.7 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 980% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $255 per month, with Kurunegala cheaper across the board.

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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 408% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 980% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $98.7 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $37.39 in Kurunegala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurunegala – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $445 in Kurunegala versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kurunegala but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kurunegala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kurunegala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kurunegala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 408% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.