😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,171 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,588 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
🌍Living in Lisbon is roughly 204% more expensive than in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is 44% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.19€14.18
$4.00LKR 1,345
304.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.3€55.5
$25.03LKR 8,411
153.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.32€9.04
$8.14LKR 2,737
26.78%
Cappuccino
$2.83€2.48
$2.71LKR 910
4.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29€2.01
$0.74LKR 250
209.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58€1.38
$0.38LKR 127
315.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.40€2.98
$2.41LKR 809
41.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.03€3.53
$3.39LKR 1,138
18.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09€0.96
$1.49LKR 499
-26.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75€1.53
$0.53LKR 177
230.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76€1.54
$0.86LKR 289
104.65%
Eggs
$3.17€2.77
$2.11LKR 709
50.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.19€11.56
$10.41LKR 3,497
26.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.97€6.98
$4.58LKR 1,540
74.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.53€13.60
$5.87LKR 1,972
164.57%
Apples(1kg)
$2.37€2.07
$6.42LKR 2,156
-63.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71€1.49
$1.11LKR 373
54.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01€1.76
$5.80LKR 1,950
-65.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.43€2.13
$1.19LKR 401
104.20%
Potato(1kg)
$1.76€1.54
$0.95LKR 319
85.26%
Onion(1kg)
$2.03€1.78
$0.91LKR 304
123.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.92€1.68
$1.19LKR 400
61.34%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85€0.74
$0.53LKR 178
60.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58€5.76
$8.59LKR 2,886
-23.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.58€4.89
$12.53LKR 4,212
-55.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33€1.17
$1.52LKR 512
-12.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97€2.60
$1.79LKR 601
65.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.28€1.99
$0.34LKR 115
570.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.79€40.10
$10.23LKR 3,439
347.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.23€3.70
$0.32LKR 106
1221.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.81€0.71
$0.32LKR 109
153.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.44€16.15
$0.47LKR 157
3823.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08€1.82
$1.21LKR 406
71.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K€30.4K
$26.7KLKR 9.0M
29.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K€34.3K
$34.5KLKR 11.6M
13.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$148€130
$30.12LKR 10.1K
391.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.46€17.92
$4.42LKR 1,486
362.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.56€34.64
$14.96LKR 5,028
164.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.99€42.03
$20.63LKR 6,933
132.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.60€16.29
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.22€8.08
$3.33LKR 1,120
176.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$616€540
$37.30LKR 12.5K
1551.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.4K€14.4K
$436LKR 146.5K
3670.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103€90.0
$27.06LKR 9,093
279.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.74€36.55
$19.44LKR 6,533
114.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.8€83.0
$68.9LKR 23.2K
37.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122€107
$38.41LKR 12.9K
217.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,633€1,430
$341LKR 114.6K
378.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,232€1,079
$254LKR 85.4K
385.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,098€2,713
$501LKR 168.3K
518.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,031€1,779
$424LKR 142.5K
379.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,831€6,858
$671LKR 225.5K
1067.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,389€3,844
$512LKR 172.1K
757.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,607€1,408
$303LKR 101.8K
430.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.81
15
-74.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026
Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lisbon pays 431% 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 $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $224 per month, with Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte?
Lisbon and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte differ by about 204% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $754 including rent). Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte?
Average pay runs 431% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte?
Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $37.30 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte?
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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte?
Expats usually find Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 204% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.