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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $472 in Maharagama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $789 in Maharagama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,106 in Maharagama.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 371% more expensive than 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

$16.17 €13.84

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

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

$2.25 €1.92

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.95 LKR 622

-44.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.51 LKR 163

241.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.76 LKR 243

128.95%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.11 LKR 672

50.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$16.26 LKR 5,186

-17.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$5.78 LKR 1,842

38.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$10.74 LKR 3,425

49.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$11.49 LKR 3,665

-80.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.23 LKR 392

39.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$10.00 LKR 3,188

-80.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.85 LKR 591

37.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.16 LKR 368

57.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.16 LKR 371

75.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.63 LKR 519

21.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.61 LKR 193

39.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$9.78 LKR 3,118

-29.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.99 LKR 635

-31.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$3.24 LKR 1,033

-10.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$3.30 LKR 1,051

1319.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.32 LKR 101

1175.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.31 LKR 99.5

164.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.37 LKR 438

46.72%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

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

$38.5K €32.9K

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

$145 €124

$53.7 LKR 17.1K

170.81%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$3.44 LKR 1,097

509.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$12.68 LKR 4,044

215.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$13.44 LKR 4,288

263.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.09 LKR 1,622

78.00%

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

$607 €519

$68.0 LKR 21.7K

791.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$510 LKR 162.7K

3101.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$24.77 LKR 7,899

322.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$13.55 LKR 4,322

202.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$54.8 LKR 17.5K

70.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$58.3 LKR 18.6K

103.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$165 LKR 52.5K

1748.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$116 LKR 36.9K

1676.22%

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

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: April 26, 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 371% in total monthly costs ($2,227 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 $3,341 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 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $472 in Maharagama – a 371% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $472 in Maharagama versus $2,227 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 371% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.