Cost of Living Comparison Between Polonnaruwa and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Polonnaruwa and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $830 in Polonnaruwa versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,161 in Polonnaruwa versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Polonnaruwa costs roughly 78% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Polonnaruwa is 63% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 LKR 1,418

$17.59 €15.31

-75.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.83 LKR 8,542

$62.9 €54.7

-58.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 LKR 2,588

$11.58 €10.08

-32.38%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 816

$3.10 €2.70

-20.32%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$2.49 €2.17

-70.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.6

$1.74 €1.52

-85.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 724

$3.48 €3.03

-37.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,024

$3.44 €3.00

-9.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 516

$1.15 €1.00

35.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.91 €1.66

-72.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.50 €1.31

-46.00%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 543

$3.98 €3.47

-58.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 LKR 4,315

$13.29 €11.57

-1.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,694

$8.01 €6.97

-36.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,444

$18.04 €15.70

-59.04%

Apples (1kg)

$6.87 LKR 2,270

$2.35 €2.05

192.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 292

$1.75 €1.52

-49.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 LKR 1,389

$1.85 €1.61

127.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

$2.55 €2.22

-51.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 335

$1.84 €1.60

-45.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$2.10 €1.83

-63.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 LKR 308

$1.49 €1.29

-37.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 160

$0.82 €0.71

-41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.43 LKR 3,447

$7.10 €6.18

46.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 LKR 4,550

$5.91 €5.14

132.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 630

$1.31 €1.14

45.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 937

$2.13 €1.86

32.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$4.08 €3.55

-89.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$1.14 €0.99

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 305

$17.09 €14.88

-94.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 423

$2.31 €2.01

-44.59%

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

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

$34.1K €29.7K

-8.97%

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

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

$41.4K €36.0K

1.38%

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

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

$169 €147

-67.64%

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

$4.09 LKR 1,351

$19.33 €16.83

-78.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.14 LKR 6,990

$33.51 €29.17

-36.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 LKR 1,505

$9.57 €8.33

-52.46%

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

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

$696 €606

-94.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

$17.4K €15.1K

-92.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 LKR 6,710

$105 €91.7

-80.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.85 LKR 5,570

$47.75 €41.56

-64.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

$101 €87.5

-20.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

$124 €108

-66.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

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 Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Polonnaruwa vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $277 per month, with Polonnaruwa 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

Polonnaruwa vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polonnaruwa and Lisbon differ by about 359% in total monthly costs ($500 vs $2,296 including rent). Polonnaruwa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $750 in Polonnaruwa and $3,444 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $500 per month in Polonnaruwa versus $2,296 in Lisbon – a 359% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $500 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Polonnaruwa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Polonnaruwa 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, Polonnaruwa 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 Polonnaruwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 359% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.