Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Negombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Negombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $413 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $687 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $962 in Negombo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 435% more expensive than Negombo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Negombo is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.96 LKR 1,312

301.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$18.05 LKR 5,986

258.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.33 LKR 2,762

26.17%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.39 LKR 461

106.47%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.73 LKR 243

206.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.38 LKR 125

294.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.98 LKR 657

76.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.37 LKR 1,118

15.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.54 LKR 509

-25.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.49 LKR 161

257.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.81 LKR 267

117.28%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.19 LKR 726

47.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$14.35 LKR 4,757

-5.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.60 LKR 1,525

71.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$5.64 LKR 1,871

181.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.97 LKR 653

17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.77 LKR 254

120.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.49 LKR 826

-19.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.20 LKR 397

105.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.85 LKR 283

116.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.97 LKR 321

106.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.97 LKR 323

98.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.57 LKR 188

38.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$8.90 LKR 2,952

-25.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$12.93 LKR 4,286

-55.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.07 LKR 687

-33.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.97 LKR 986

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.32 LKR 105

640.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.39 LKR 129

1000.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.33 LKR 109

148.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$0.57 LKR 189

3110.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.26 LKR 418

63.49%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.6K LKR 8.8M

29.04%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

10.91%

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

$148 €127

$30.48 LKR 10.1K

385.14%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$4.43 LKR 1,469

363.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$14.87 LKR 4,932

166.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$13.58 LKR 4,501

252.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$10.12 LKR 3,354

86.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$2.48 LKR 823

270.16%

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

$614 €528

$36.75 LKR 12.2K

1570.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$441 LKR 146.4K

3535.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$19.50 LKR 6,466

436.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$19.18 LKR 6,360

119.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$48.26 LKR 16.0K

94.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$26.40 LKR 8,752

353.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$178 LKR 59.0K

800.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.45

-76.84%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Negombo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 801% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $18.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $203 per month, with Negombo 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 Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Negombo differ by about 435% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $413 including rent). Negombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 801% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $413 in Negombo – a 435% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $413 in Negombo versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Negombo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Negombo 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 Negombo 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 Negombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 435% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.