Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Negombo

For one person, living is cheaper in Negombo: $396 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Negombo, Sri Lanka
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Negombo
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$396
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Negombo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Negombo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $396 in Negombo.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Negombo $396

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $639 in Negombo.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Negombo $639

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $883 in Negombo.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Negombo $883

Living in Lisbon is roughly 459% more expensive than in Negombo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Negombo is 71% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$3.74 LKR 1,245
345.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$16.39 LKR 5,451
276.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$7.40 LKR 2,462
53.51%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$1.28 LKR 427
132.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$0.73 LKR 242
213.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.27 LKR 90.0
544.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$2.21 LKR 736
53.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$3.04 LKR 1,012
8.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.56 LKR 520
-25.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.56 LKR 187
241.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$0.75 LKR 251
101.33%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$1.63 LKR 543
146.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$13.51 LKR 4,494
-4.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$4.34 LKR 1,442
79.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$6.09 LKR 2,026
191.63%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$1.78 LKR 590
29.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$0.67 LKR 224
158.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.30 LKR 766
-19.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$1.16 LKR 385
123.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$0.79 LKR 264
130.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$0.83 LKR 277
137.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.95 LKR 316
54.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.46 LKR 152
56.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$10.19 LKR 3,390
-35.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$13.06 LKR 4,343
-57.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.95 LKR 650
-30.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.92 LKR 972
-26.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.31 LKR 104
651.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$0.38 LKR 125
913.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.35 LKR 115
205.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$0.90 LKR 298
1728.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.02 LKR 339
115.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$43.3K LKR 14.4M
-21.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$39.9K LKR 13.3M
-2.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$25.79 LKR 8,576
525.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$4.22 LKR 1,403
336.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$20.43 LKR 6,795
60.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$15.34 LKR 5,100
190.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$9.00 LKR 2,994
112.22%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$2.46 LKR 817
290.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$37.18 LKR 12.4K
1695.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$458 LKR 152.5K
3742.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$9.13 LKR 3,037
1017.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$16.32 LKR 5,427
172.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$35.70 LKR 11.9K
175.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$24.49 LKR 8,143
404.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Negombo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$178 LKR 59.1K
785.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
12.69
-69.66%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Negombo: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Negombo
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Negombo
$194 28.7% $78
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Negombo
$89 63.4% $154
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Negombo
$50 76.2% $162
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Negombo
$39 76.8% $127
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Negombo
$20 68.2% $43
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Negombo
$3.4 * 94.7% $60

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays about 8.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $16 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $194 per month, with Negombo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇱🇰 Negombo
🕒 Local time
05:21 5:21 AM
10:51 10:51 AM
5 h 30 min ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
142,449
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 371 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Negombo 9,420 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Negombo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Negombo?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $396 in Negombo, so Negombo is about 82% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Negombo?
Average pay in Lisbon is about 8.9 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Negombo?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $396 in Negombo – Negombo is about 82% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $800 per month?
At $396 in Negombo versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $800 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.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Negombo?
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.
Is Lisbon or Negombo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Negombo are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Negombo?
It comes down to priorities – Negombo wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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