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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $515 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $835 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,154 in Ragama.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 340% more expensive than in Ragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Ragama is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$4.41 LKR 1,448

297.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$26.20 LKR 8,610

146.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.64 LKR 2,509

52.49%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.54 LKR 834

28.35%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.69 LKR 226

260.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.27 LKR 88.7

518.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.25 LKR 740

54.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.12 LKR 1,026

14.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.43 LKR 468

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.51 LKR 166

282.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.69 LKR 226

126.09%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.66 LKR 546

141.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$13.16 LKR 4,324

0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.94 LKR 1,622

70.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$7.23 LKR 2,376

152.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$6.71 LKR 2,206

-65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.89 LKR 294

94.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$4.32 LKR 1,420

-55.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.24 LKR 408

112.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.04 LKR 343

82.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.80 LKR 262

163.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.88 LKR 290

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.46 LKR 151

73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$10.46 LKR 3,435

-32.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$13.56 LKR 4,457

-56.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.00 LKR 656

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.77 LKR 909

-22.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.39 LKR 128

974.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.39 LKR 127

182.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$0.92 LKR 303

1776.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.35 LKR 443

66.67%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

15.02%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-0.09%

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

$171 €147

$54.4 LKR 17.9K

214.35%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$4.16 LKR 1,366

356.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$20.62 LKR 6,776

66.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.49 LKR 1,477

124.94%

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

$699 €603

$38.72 LKR 12.7K

1705.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,242 LKR 408.2K

1330.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$20.02 LKR 6,577

422.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$16.51 LKR 5,424

190.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

28.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$41.71 LKR 13.7K

207.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

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 5, 2026

Last update for Ragama: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Ragama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $233 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 340% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $515 including rent). Ragama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $773 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 21% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $515 in Ragama – a 340% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $515 in Ragama versus $2,268 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 340% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.