Cost of Living Comparison Between Matara and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Matara and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $598 in Matara versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $867 in Matara versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,136 in Matara versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Matara costs roughly 74% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matara is 57% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 LKR 1,421

$17.55 €15.12

-75.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.06 LKR 8,564

$64.5 €55.6

-59.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 LKR 2,560

$11.65 €10.04

-33.13%

Cappuccino

$2.48 LKR 816

$3.26 €2.81

-23.93%

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

$0.69 LKR 227

$2.49 €2.15

-72.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.1

$1.67 €1.44

-83.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 748

$3.47 €2.99

-34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 LKR 1,015

$3.58 €3.08

-13.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 514

$1.18 €1.02

32.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$1.95 €1.68

-73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 260

$1.56 €1.35

-49.36%

Eggs

$1.46 LKR 480

$4.01 €3.46

-63.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,331

$13.27 €11.44

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 LKR 1,708

$8.42 €7.26

-38.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,384

$18.23 €15.72

-60.18%

Apples (1kg)

$6.95 LKR 2,285

$2.32 €2.00

199.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.44 LKR 144

$1.73 €1.49

-74.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 LKR 1,413

$1.93 €1.67

122.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 283

$2.64 €2.27

-67.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 321

$1.90 €1.64

-48.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 204

$2.11 €1.82

-70.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 LKR 299

$1.44 €1.24

-36.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 149

$0.80 €0.69

-43.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.70 LKR 3,186

$7.01 €6.04

38.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 LKR 4,597

$5.92 €5.11

136.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 LKR 591

$1.36 €1.18

32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 962

$2.15 €1.85

36.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LKR 94.8

$2.38 €2.05

-87.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

$4.19 €3.61

-90.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 117

$1.10 €0.95

-67.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 285

$17.26 €14.88

-94.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 419

$2.25 €1.94

-43.11%

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

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

$34.5K €29.7K

-11.77%

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

$42.1K LKR 13.8M

$41.6K €35.9K

1.23%

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

$45.58 LKR 15.0K

$171 €147

-73.33%

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

$4.12 LKR 1,355

$19.01 €16.38

-78.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.35 LKR 7,016

$34.28 €29.55

-37.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 LKR 1,469

$10.10 €8.71

-55.74%

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

$38.10 LKR 12.5K

$699 €603

-94.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,210 LKR 397.5K

$17.8K €15.3K

-93.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.00 LKR 6,571

$105 €90.2

-80.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.05 LKR 5,602

$47.97 €41.35

-64.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

$102 €87.8

-22.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.56 LKR 14.0K

$128 €111

-66.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 LKR 59.3K

$1,661 €1,432

-89.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 LKR 30.4K

$1,228 €1,059

-92.46%

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)

$105 LKR 34.4K

$1,619 €1,396

-93.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

3.78

235.71%

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

Last update for Matara: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Matara and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1447% 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: $26.00 in Matara vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $281 per month, with Matara 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

Matara vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matara and Lisbon differ by about 279% in total monthly costs ($598 vs $2,268 including rent). Matara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1447% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $180 in Matara versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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 $598 per month in Matara versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 279% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $598 in Matara versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Matara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Matara 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, Matara and Lisbon 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 Matara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 279% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.