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: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $528 in Ratnapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $837 in Ratnapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,146 in Ratnapura.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 320% more expensive than in Ratnapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Ratnapura is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$2.11 LKR 705

647.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$9.98 LKR 3,329

525.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$6.84 LKR 2,281

54.09%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$2.32 LKR 775

19.40%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$0.86 LKR 288

165.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.48 LKR 161

222.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$2.25 LKR 749

57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$2.94 LKR 981

35.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.06 LKR 688

-47.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.80 LKR 268

121.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.69 LKR 229

156.52%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$1.23 LKR 410

153.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$16.64 LKR 5,550

-19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$7.04 LKR 2,350

13.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$17.63 LKR 5,881

-9.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$4.65 LKR 1,552

-50.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$0.76 LKR 255

115.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.67 LKR 1,558

-57.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.04 LKR 348

135.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.13 LKR 376

56.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.57 LKR 524

25.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.53 LKR 175

271.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.52 LKR 173

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$14.59 LKR 4,868

-55.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$12.75 LKR 4,254

-54.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$2.34 LKR 781

-43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$3.16 LKR 1,053

-5.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$0.38 LKR 127

515.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$0.39 LKR 128

992.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$0.48 LKR 162

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$0.32 LKR 107

5793.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.04 LKR 346

99.04%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

65.12%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

76.58%

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

$151 €132

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

$20.91 €18.24

$2.33 LKR 777

797.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$8.24 LKR 2,748

379.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$10.19 LKR 3,399

374.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$2.72 LKR 909

232.35%

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

$610 €532

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$11.57 LKR 3,858

775.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$8.57 LKR 2,857

373.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$92.6 LKR 30.9K

0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$29.02 LKR 9,680

308.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$83.0 LKR 27.7K

1829.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$59.3 LKR 19.8K

1987.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$95.1 LKR 31.7K

2067.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$168 LKR 56.0K

869.62%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $83.0 in Ratnapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 870% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $285, 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 320% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $528 including rent). Ratnapura is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 870% 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $83.0 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 $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $528 in Ratnapura – a 320% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $528 in Ratnapura versus $2,217 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 320% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.