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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $454 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $756 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,058 in Kurunegala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 391% more expensive than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Kurunegala is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$1.89 LKR 603

755.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$24.68 LKR 7,870

161.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$5.14 LKR 1,639

101.95%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.73 LKR 869

1.47%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.43 LKR 137

423.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.38 LKR 120

313.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.97 LKR 628

77.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.95 LKR 939

35.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.62 LKR 518

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.48 LKR 153

262.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.87 LKR 277

100.00%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.21 LKR 703

43.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$13.83 LKR 4,411

-2.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.71 LKR 1,501

69.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$8.01 LKR 2,553

100.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$7.69 LKR 2,454

-70.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.12 LKR 357

53.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$5.76 LKR 1,836

-66.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.20 LKR 383

111.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.15 LKR 367

59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.40 LKR 447

45.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.20 LKR 383

65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.60 LKR 192

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$10.22 LKR 3,259

-32.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$12.52 LKR 3,992

-53.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.06 LKR 659

-33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.93 LKR 935

-1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.34 LKR 110

570.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.41 LKR 131

895.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.33 LKR 104

148.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$0.61 LKR 194

2895.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.26 LKR 402

59.52%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

33.98%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$34.5K LKR 11.0M

11.58%

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

$145 €124

$27.05 LKR 8,627

437.52%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$2.05 LKR 653

922.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$15.27 LKR 4,871

162.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$8.13 LKR 2,592

500.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$1.36 LKR 435

566.18%

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

$607 €519

$37.06 LKR 11.8K

1536.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$438 LKR 139.7K

3627.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$11.87 LKR 3,786

781.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$19.73 LKR 6,292

107.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$43.22 LKR 13.8K

116.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$38.08 LKR 12.1K

211.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$102 LKR 32.5K

1472.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$203 LKR 64.7K

1401.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$156 LKR 49.7K

916.16%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $102 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 916% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $256 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 391% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 916% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $102 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $37.06 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 $25.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $454 in Kurunegala versus $2,227 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 391% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.