Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Maharagama Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Maharagama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $472 in Maharagama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $797 in Maharagama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,122 in Maharagama.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 370% more expensive than in Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Maharagama is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

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

$2.28 €1.99

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.85 LKR 617

-41.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.52 LKR 175

240.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.76 LKR 255

132.89%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$2.02 LKR 675

54.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$15.86 LKR 5,291

-15.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$5.81 LKR 1,940

37.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$11.04 LKR 3,683

44.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$11.73 LKR 3,913

-80.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.23 LKR 411

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$10.08 LKR 3,362

-80.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.89 LKR 629

29.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.14 LKR 382

55.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.15 LKR 383

71.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.55 LKR 519

27.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.58 LKR 193

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$9.87 LKR 3,293

-33.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.97 LKR 658

-32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$3.21 LKR 1,070

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

$3.44 LKR 1,146

1232.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$0.34 LKR 114

1152.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$0.31 LKR 105

170.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.38 LKR 461

50.00%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

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

$38.6K €33.7K

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

$151 €132

$53.1 LKR 17.7K

184.61%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$3.28 LKR 1,093

537.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$12.43 LKR 4,147

218.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$13.16 LKR 4,390

267.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$4.93 LKR 1,645

83.37%

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

$610 €532

$66.6 LKR 22.2K

816.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$494 LKR 164.7K

3196.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$25.32 LKR 8,446

299.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$13.38 LKR 4,463

203.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$55.9 LKR 18.6K

66.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$59.8 LKR 19.9K

98.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$164 LKR 54.8K

1737.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$119 LKR 39.5K

1639.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-77.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: June 16, 2026

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Maharagama differ by about 370% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $472 including rent). Maharagama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $708 in Maharagama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $472 in Maharagama – a 370% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $472 in Maharagama versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maharagama but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Maharagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Maharagama 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 Maharagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 370% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.