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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $417 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $688 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $958 in Negombo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 449% more expensive than in Negombo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Negombo is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$4.04 LKR 1,356

300.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$18.34 LKR 6,165

245.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$8.18 LKR 2,750

26.16%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.36 LKR 457

108.09%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.68 LKR 229

236.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.37 LKR 125

327.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.96 LKR 658

73.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$3.33 LKR 1,118

21.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.55 LKR 520

-29.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.49 LKR 164

257.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.86 LKR 288

104.65%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.21 LKR 742

43.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$14.31 LKR 4,810

-7.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.61 LKR 1,549

72.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$5.58 LKR 1,876

178.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.02 LKR 680

17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.77 LKR 257

122.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.44 LKR 819

-17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.21 LKR 408

100.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.86 LKR 289

104.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.95 LKR 318

113.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.03 LKR 344

86.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.61 LKR 204

39.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$8.64 LKR 2,903

-23.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$12.87 LKR 4,325

-56.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.06 LKR 694

-35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.96 LKR 993

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.32 LKR 106

612.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.39 LKR 131

984.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.33 LKR 112

145.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$0.60 LKR 203

2973.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.21 LKR 406

71.90%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

27.87%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$34.4K LKR 11.6M

13.81%

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

$148 €130

$30.72 LKR 10.3K

381.93%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$4.31 LKR 1,448

374.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$14.95 LKR 5,025

164.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$13.13 LKR 4,413

265.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$9.88 LKR 3,321

88.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$2.49 LKR 837

270.28%

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

$616 €540

$36.96 LKR 12.4K

1566.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$442 LKR 148.5K

3619.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$19.56 LKR 6,574

425.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$19.18 LKR 6,447

117.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$48.46 LKR 16.3K

95.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$27.21 LKR 9,144

348.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$177 LKR 59.5K

807.45%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Negombo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 807% 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 $18.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $204 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 449% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $417 including rent). Negombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 807% 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 31% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $417 in Negombo – a 449% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $417 in Negombo versus $2,291 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 449% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.