Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Matara Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Matara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $598 in Matara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $867 in Matara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,136 in Matara.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 279% more expensive than in Matara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Matara is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$4.32 LKR 1,421

306.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$26.06 LKR 8,564

147.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.79 LKR 2,560

49.55%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.48 LKR 816

31.45%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.69 LKR 227

260.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.27 LKR 89.1

518.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.28 LKR 748

52.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.09 LKR 1,015

15.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.56 LKR 514

-24.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.52 LKR 172

275.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.79 LKR 260

97.47%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.46 LKR 480

174.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$13.18 LKR 4,331

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$5.20 LKR 1,708

61.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$7.26 LKR 2,384

151.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$6.95 LKR 2,285

-66.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.44 LKR 144

293.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$4.30 LKR 1,413

-55.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.86 LKR 283

206.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.98 LKR 321

93.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.62 LKR 204

240.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.91 LKR 299

58.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.45 LKR 149

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$9.70 LKR 3,186

-27.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$13.99 LKR 4,597

-57.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.80 LKR 591

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.93 LKR 962

-26.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.29 LKR 94.8

720.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.38 LKR 126

1002.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.36 LKR 117

205.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$0.87 LKR 285

1883.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.28 LKR 419

75.78%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

13.33%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$42.1K LKR 13.8M

-1.21%

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

$171 €147

$45.58 LKR 15.0K

274.90%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$4.12 LKR 1,355

361.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$21.35 LKR 7,016

60.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.47 LKR 1,469

125.95%

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

$699 €603

$38.10 LKR 12.5K

1735.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,210 LKR 397.5K

1368.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$20.00 LKR 6,571

423.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$17.05 LKR 5,602

181.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

28.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$42.56 LKR 14.0K

201.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$180 LKR 59.3K

821.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$92.6 LKR 30.4K

1226.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$105 LKR 34.4K

1446.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

12.69

-70.21%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Matara: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $180 in Matara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1447% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Matara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $232 per month, with Matara 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 Matara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Matara differ by about 279% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $598 including rent). Matara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1447% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $180 in Matara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $598 in Matara – a 279% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $598 in Matara versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Matara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Matara 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 Matara 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 Matara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 279% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.