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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $398 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $648 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $898 in Negombo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 476% more expensive than in Negombo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Negombo is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$4.34 LKR 1,437

305.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$16.72 LKR 5,537

275.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.74 LKR 2,562

49.61%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.29 LKR 426

140.31%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.74 LKR 246

236.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.25 LKR 82.0

596.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.27 LKR 753

53.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.07 LKR 1,017

12.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.58 LKR 522

-27.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.58 LKR 191

229.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.76 LKR 252

97.37%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.66 LKR 548

139.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$13.04 LKR 4,317

1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.22 LKR 1,398

89.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$6.04 LKR 2,000

198.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.82 LKR 601

29.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.68 LKR 226

157.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.23 LKR 737

-17.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.21 LKR 402

110.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.73 LKR 242

152.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.75 LKR 247

180.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.90 LKR 297

65.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.48 LKR 160

70.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$10.21 LKR 3,379

-30.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$13.48 LKR 4,463

-56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.90 LKR 629

-31.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.77 LKR 918

-23.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.31 LKR 103

661.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.38 LKR 126

973.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.36 LKR 119

216.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$0.89 LKR 294

1820.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.05 LKR 348

120.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$30.1K LKR 10.0M

13.48%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$42.3K LKR 14.0M

-2.16%

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

$169 €147

$25.91 LKR 8,578

550.52%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$4.26 LKR 1,409

353.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$21.26 LKR 7,040

57.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$15.30 LKR 5,065

219.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$9.32 LKR 3,087

108.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$2.45 LKR 812

290.61%

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

$696 €607

$37.62 LKR 12.5K

1749.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$460 LKR 152.3K

3671.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$8.89 LKR 2,944

1084.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$16.80 LKR 5,561

184.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$37.16 LKR 12.3K

170.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$24.13 LKR 7,990

415.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$180 LKR 59.8K

804.06%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Negombo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 804% 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 $17.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $193 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 476% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $398 including rent). Negombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 804% higher in Lisbon, 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 44% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $398 in Negombo – a 476% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $398 in Negombo versus $2,296 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 476% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.