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: $518 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $855 in Polonnaruwa versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,192 in Polonnaruwa versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Polonnaruwa costs roughly 77% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Polonnaruwa is 61% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 LKR 1,337

$15.75 €13.74

-74.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 LKR 8,428

$63.5 €55.3

-60.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 LKR 2,790

$10.45 €9.11

-20.29%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 894

$2.91 €2.54

-8.25%

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

$0.68 LKR 227

$2.29 €2.00

-70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$1.50 €1.31

-73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 767

$3.56 €3.11

-35.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,129

$3.96 €3.46

-14.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 575

$1.08 €0.94

59.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$1.76 €1.54

-69.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 275

$1.70 €1.48

-51.76%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 719

$3.25 €2.83

-33.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 LKR 4,804

$13.25 €11.55

8.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,557

$7.70 €6.72

-39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 LKR 2,636

$15.77 €13.75

-50.10%

Apples (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,493

$2.28 €1.99

226.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 360

$1.66 €1.44

-35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 LKR 1,915

$2.02 €1.76

183.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 406

$2.47 €2.16

-51.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.79 €1.56

-35.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 477

$2.07 €1.80

-31.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 401

$1.97 €1.72

-39.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 189

$0.83 €0.73

-31.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 LKR 3,342

$6.55 €5.71

52.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 LKR 4,155

$5.57 €4.85

122.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 676

$1.33 €1.16

51.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 990

$3.01 €2.62

-1.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$4.23 €3.69

-90.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.85 €0.74

-61.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$18.83 €16.41

-96.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 400

$2.02 €1.76

-41.09%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

$35.0K €30.5K

-24.16%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$39.6K €34.6K

-10.76%

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

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

$148 €129

-59.01%

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

$4.20 LKR 1,408

$20.52 €17.89

-79.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,151

$39.52 €34.46

-61.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,131

$9.10 €7.93

-62.97%

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

$37.12 LKR 12.4K

$615 €536

-93.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 145.9K

$16.3K €14.2K

-97.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.64 LKR 9,263

$102 €88.6

-72.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.24 LKR 6,446

$42.09 €36.69

-54.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$92.3 €80.5

-25.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.58 LKR 12.9K

$122 €106

-68.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

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 Polonnaruwa: July 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Polonnaruwa vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $267 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 341% in total monthly costs ($518 vs $2,280 including rent). Polonnaruwa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $776 in Polonnaruwa and $3,420 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 4% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $518 per month in Polonnaruwa versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 341% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $518 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,280 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 341% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.