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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $473 in Maharagama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $789 in Maharagama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,105 in Maharagama.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 382% more expensive than in Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Maharagama is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

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

$2.29 €1.98

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.92 LKR 644

-43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.49 LKR 164

259.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$0.73 LKR 246

132.88%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.07 LKR 694

57.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$16.11 LKR 5,405

-17.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$5.95 LKR 1,995

29.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$10.91 LKR 3,661

44.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$11.62 LKR 3,898

-80.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.25 LKR 419

32.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$10.10 LKR 3,389

-80.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.83 LKR 613

34.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.19 LKR 400

50.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.21 LKR 407

71.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.61 LKR 541

22.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.62 LKR 208

33.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$9.84 LKR 3,303

-33.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.06 LKR 691

-35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$3.25 LKR 1,090

-7.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$3.44 LKR 1,154

1247.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$0.34 LKR 115

1144.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.31 LKR 105

174.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.43 LKR 478

41.26%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

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

$39.6K €34.3K

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

$148 €128

$53.5 LKR 18.0K

176.50%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$3.28 LKR 1,101

525.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$12.46 LKR 4,182

217.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$13.51 LKR 4,534

256.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$5.09 LKR 1,706

78.78%

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

$615 €532

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

800.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$500 LKR 167.8K

3157.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$24.80 LKR 8,321

309.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$13.30 LKR 4,464

216.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$56.2 LKR 18.9K

64.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$58.1 LKR 19.5K

110.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$165 LKR 55.5K

1755.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$115 LKR 38.6K

1672.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: July 27, 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 382% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $473 including rent). Maharagama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $709 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 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $473 in Maharagama – a 382% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $473 in Maharagama versus $2,280 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 382% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.