Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $534 in Ratnapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $858 in Ratnapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,183 in Ratnapura.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 327% more expensive than in Ratnapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Ratnapura is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$2.19 LKR 735

619.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$10.13 LKR 3,398

526.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$6.81 LKR 2,287

53.45%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.37 LKR 797

22.78%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.87 LKR 291

163.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.49 LKR 164

206.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.12 LKR 713

67.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.94 LKR 988

34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.97 LKR 662

-45.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.81 LKR 271

117.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$0.72 LKR 242

136.11%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.24 LKR 417

162.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$16.47 LKR 5,527

-19.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$6.97 LKR 2,338

10.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$17.18 LKR 5,766

-8.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.66 LKR 1,563

-51.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$0.77 LKR 260

115.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$4.78 LKR 1,603

-57.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.06 LKR 355

133.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.12 LKR 377

59.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.50 LKR 502

38.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.52 LKR 174

278.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.52 LKR 175

59.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$14.29 LKR 4,794

-54.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$12.44 LKR 4,175

-55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.30 LKR 773

-42.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$3.21 LKR 1,077

-6.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.41 LKR 138

453.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$0.41 LKR 139

931.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.53 LKR 177

60.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$0.35 LKR 116

5280.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.08 LKR 361

87.04%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

60.29%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

86.02%

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

$148 €128

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

$20.52 €17.77

$2.26 LKR 757

807.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$7.88 LKR 2,645

401.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$10.10 LKR 3,389

376.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$2.71 LKR 910

235.79%

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

$615 €532

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$11.60 LKR 3,893

775.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$8.24 LKR 2,766

410.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

-1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$28.63 LKR 9,606

326.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

1863.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

2012.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

2104.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$170 LKR 57.0K

843.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $82.1 in Ratnapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 844% 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 $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $281, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Ratnapura differ by about 327% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $534 including rent). Ratnapura is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 844% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $82.1 in Ratnapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratnapura – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $534 in Ratnapura – a 327% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $534 in Ratnapura versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ratnapura but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 327% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.