Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $520 in Ratnapura versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $849 in Ratnapura versus $3,289 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,177 in Ratnapura versus $4,369 in Lisbon.

Living in Ratnapura costs roughly 76% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ratnapura is 61% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 LKR 740

$15.71 €13.81

-86.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.01 LKR 3,365

$62.9 €55.3

-84.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 LKR 2,188

$10.53 €9.26

-38.18%

Cappuccino

$2.29 LKR 771

$2.88 €2.54

-20.49%

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

$0.80 LKR 270

$2.25 €1.98

-64.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$1.56 €1.37

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 LKR 722

$3.39 €2.98

-36.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,016

$3.90 €3.43

-22.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 LKR 672

$1.08 €0.95

85.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 LKR 274

$1.73 €1.52

-52.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 242

$1.76 €1.55

-59.09%

Eggs

$1.23 LKR 415

$3.16 €2.78

-61.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.20 LKR 5,445

$13.29 €11.68

21.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 LKR 2,382

$7.87 €6.92

-9.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 LKR 5,847

$15.84 €13.92

9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,545

$2.40 €2.11

91.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 260

$1.70 €1.50

-54.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 LKR 1,541

$2.03 €1.78

125.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 364

$2.52 €2.21

-57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 LKR 380

$1.86 €1.63

-39.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 LKR 510

$2.06 €1.81

-26.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 LKR 185

$2.00 €1.76

-72.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 160

$0.78 €0.69

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.44 LKR 4,854

$6.65 €5.84

117.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 LKR 4,152

$5.78 €5.08

113.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 LKR 781

$1.38 €1.22

68.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 LKR 1,045

$3.02 €2.65

2.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 139

$2.33 €2.05

-82.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

$4.08 €3.58

-89.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 179

$0.80 €0.70

-33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 115

$18.65 €16.39

-98.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 LKR 358

$2.00 €1.76

-46.50%

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

$21.6K LKR 7.3M

$35.4K €31.1K

-38.86%

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

$21.4K LKR 7.2M

$39.1K €34.3K

-45.22%

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

$150 €132

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

$2.30 LKR 774

$20.55 €18.07

-88.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.26 LKR 2,777

$39.45 €34.68

-79.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 LKR 3,412

$48.06 €42.25

-78.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.44

Cinema Ticket

$2.63 LKR 885

$9.30 €8.18

-71.72%

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

$628 €552

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.89 LKR 3,998

$102 €89.3

-88.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.19 LKR 2,754

$41.55 €36.52

-80.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

$92.5 €81.3

1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.09 LKR 9,443

$123 €108

-77.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.2 LKR 27.6K

$1,628 €1,431

-94.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

$1,233 €1,084

-95.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,748

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.0 LKR 31.9K

$2,058 €1,809

-95.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,824

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,856

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 LKR 56.1K

$1,621 €1,425

-89.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Ratnapura: July 21, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $82.2 in Ratnapura and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 871% 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: $10.00 in Ratnapura vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $280 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ratnapura vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ratnapura and Lisbon differ by about 325% in total monthly costs ($520 vs $2,210 including rent). Ratnapura is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 871% 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: $82.2 in Ratnapura versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratnapura – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $520 per month in Ratnapura versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 325% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $520 in Ratnapura versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ratnapura but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ratnapura 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, Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 325% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.