Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ragama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $519 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $861 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,203 in Ragama.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 339% more expensive than in Ragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Ragama is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$4.07 LKR 1,363

286.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$24.91 LKR 8,346

154.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$8.51 LKR 2,850

22.80%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$2.63 LKR 880

10.65%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.73 LKR 245

213.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.38 LKR 126

294.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$2.32 LKR 777

53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$3.32 LKR 1,112

19.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.58 LKR 528

-31.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.56 LKR 189

214.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$0.73 LKR 243

132.88%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$2.11 LKR 706

54.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$14.22 LKR 4,765

-6.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$4.54 LKR 1,523

69.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$8.20 LKR 2,747

92.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$7.41 LKR 2,482

-69.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.12 LKR 376

48.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$5.81 LKR 1,948

-65.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$1.24 LKR 416

99.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.16 LKR 388

54.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.24 LKR 416

66.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.15 LKR 386

71.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.55 LKR 186

50.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$10.07 LKR 3,373

-34.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$12.44 LKR 4,167

-55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$2.10 LKR 705

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$2.98 LKR 999

1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$0.38 LKR 129

1013.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.35 LKR 118

142.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$0.57 LKR 191

3203.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.26 LKR 423

60.32%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

33.14%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

16.07%

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

$148 €129

$59.4 LKR 19.9K

148.96%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$4.29 LKR 1,437

378.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$14.96 LKR 5,013

164.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$3.36 LKR 1,127

170.83%

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

$615 €536

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

1540.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$445 LKR 149.1K

3559.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$27.07 LKR 9,070

275.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$19.30 LKR 6,467

118.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$69.5 LKR 23.3K

32.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

211.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

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 27, 2026

Last update for Ragama: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Ragama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $255 per month, with Ragama 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Ragama differ by about 339% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $519 including rent). Ragama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $779 in Ragama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $519 in Ragama – a 339% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Ragama versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ragama but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ragama 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 Ragama 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 Ragama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 339% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.