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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $475 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $770 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,065 in Kurunegala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 384% more expensive than in Kurunegala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Kurunegala is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$1.82 LKR 600

866.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$26.28 LKR 8,690

139.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$4.45 LKR 1,470

160.22%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.45 LKR 809

26.53%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.48 LKR 159

418.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.25 LKR 81.8

596.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.26 LKR 746

53.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.02 LKR 1,000

13.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.53 LKR 507

-24.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.45 LKR 149

324.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.76 LKR 252

97.37%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.66 LKR 547

139.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$13.08 LKR 4,326

1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$5.17 LKR 1,710

54.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$7.16 LKR 2,367

151.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$6.90 LKR 2,283

-65.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.84 LKR 278

108.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$4.41 LKR 1,457

-58.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.23 LKR 406

107.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.00 LKR 330

84.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.77 LKR 254

172.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.90 LKR 297

65.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.49 LKR 161

67.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$10.51 LKR 3,474

-32.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$13.62 LKR 4,505

-56.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.97 LKR 651

-33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.91 LKR 962

-26.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.38 LKR 127

973.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.31 LKR 104

267.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$0.94 LKR 312

1718.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.09 LKR 361

111.93%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$29.9K LKR 9.9M

14.18%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

-4.06%

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

$169 €147

$55.2 LKR 18.2K

205.45%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$4.24 LKR 1,403

355.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$20.58 LKR 6,803

62.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$4.35 LKR 1,437

120.00%

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

$696 €606

$38.59 LKR 12.8K

1703.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$1,202 LKR 397.3K

1344.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$20.18 LKR 6,672

421.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$16.45 LKR 5,440

190.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$81.2 LKR 26.9K

23.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$42.70 LKR 14.1K

191.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$151 LKR 49.9K

981.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

12.69

-70.21%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 982% 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 $277 vs $236 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 384% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 982% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $38.59 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 $475 in Kurunegala versus $2,296 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 384% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.