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: $583 in Matara versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $928 in Matara versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,272 in Matara versus $4,368 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 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.47 LKR 825

$15.94 €13.77

-84.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.67 LKR 8,231

$63.4 €54.8

-61.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 LKR 2,817

$10.38 €8.97

-18.59%

Cappuccino

$2.77 LKR 923

$2.79 €2.41

-0.72%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$2.34 €2.02

-70.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$1.57 €1.35

-75.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 794

$3.43 €2.96

-30.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,104

$3.91 €3.38

-15.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 577

$1.08 €0.93

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.77 €1.53

-68.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 287

$1.71 €1.48

-49.71%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 711

$3.15 €2.72

-32.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 LKR 4,670

$13.68 €11.82

2.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,517

$8.01 €6.92

-43.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,628

$15.52 €13.41

-49.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,553

$2.29 €1.98

234.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.64 €1.42

-67.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 LKR 1,962

$1.94 €1.68

203.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 LKR 217

$2.51 €2.17

-74.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 276

$1.79 €1.55

-53.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 LKR 162

$2.01 €1.74

-75.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 384

$1.97 €1.70

-41.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.84 €0.73

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,340

$6.79 €5.86

47.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,286

$5.67 €4.90

126.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 702

$1.39 €1.20

51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 959

$3.02 €2.61

-4.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$2.27 €1.96

-92.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.26

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$4.29 €3.71

-90.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.85 €0.73

-61.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$18.28 €15.79

-96.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 402

$1.99 €1.72

-39.20%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$35.0K €30.3K

-23.54%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

$39.5K €34.2K

-11.41%

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

$25.92 LKR 8,645

$146 €126

-82.27%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,423

$20.45 €17.67

-79.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.11 LKR 1,706

$38.98 €33.68

-86.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.33

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 LKR 1,144

$9.52 €8.23

-63.97%

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

$37.26 LKR 12.4K

$608 €525

-93.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 148.3K

$16.5K €14.3K

-97.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.74 LKR 9,252

$104 €89.8

-73.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 LKR 6,494

$42.12 €36.39

-53.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

$92.2 €79.7

-23.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

$120 €104

-68.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 LKR 55.7K

$1,621 €1,401

-89.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 LKR 39.5K

$1,268 €1,095

-90.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 LKR 164.7K

$3,048 €2,634

-83.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 LKR 56.5K

$2,009 €1,736

-91.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,621

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,740

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$106 LKR 35.2K

$1,585 €1,369

-93.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

3.81

331.76%

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

Last update for Matara: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $167 in Matara and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1401% 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: $25.00 in Matara vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $269 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 288% in total monthly costs ($583 vs $2,263 including rent). Matara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 1401% less. 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: $167 in Matara versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $583 per month in Matara versus $2,263 in Lisbon – a 288% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $583 in Matara versus $2,263 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 288% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.