Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Matale Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Matale

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $231 in Matale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $379 in Matale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $527 in Matale.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 904% more expensive than in Matale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Matale is 83% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$1.80 LKR 592

861.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$9.31 LKR 3,052

579.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$4.49 LKR 1,473

153.67%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.46 LKR 152

432.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.22 LKR 71.9

700.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.49 LKR 818

44.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.84 LKR 604

84.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.49 LKR 488

-16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.46 LKR 151

330.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.65 LKR 212

133.85%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.68 LKR 553

140.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$9.58 LKR 3,141

41.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$3.67 LKR 1,205

128.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$7.35 LKR 2,410

148.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.56 LKR 183

210.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.92 LKR 303

185.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.52 LKR 172

269.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.54 LKR 176

287.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.58 LKR 518

-12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.25 LKR 82.7

356.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.18 LKR 388

96.61%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.6K

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

$170 €146

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

$19.34 €16.62

$3.86 LKR 1,267

401.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$23.90 LKR 7,839

338.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$10.70 LKR 3,509

1058.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$44.95 LKR 14.7K

2727.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$63.0 LKR 20.7K

3064.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$161 LKR 52.8K

882.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Matale: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 882% 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 $9.00 in Matale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $116 per month, with Matale 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 Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Matale differ by about 904% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $231 including rent). Matale is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 882% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Matale – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $231 in Matale – a 904% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $231 in Matale versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Matale but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Matale 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 Matale 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 Matale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 904% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.