Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnaul and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnaul and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $997 in Barnaul versus $717 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,542 in Barnaul versus $1,166 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,087 in Barnaul versus $1,615 in Colombo.

Living in Barnaul is roughly 39% more expensive than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barnaul 26% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 ₽551

$4.13 LKR 1,369

83.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.78 ₽2,393

$25.16 LKR 8,344

30.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ₽379

$8.20 LKR 2,719

-36.71%

Cappuccino

$2.79 ₽204

$2.66 LKR 882

4.89%

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

$1.32 ₽96.3

$0.68 LKR 224

94.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₽40.58

$0.41 LKR 135

36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 ₽135

$2.39 LKR 793

-23.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₽184

$3.43 LKR 1,136

-26.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽76.5

$1.73 LKR 574

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₽35.94

$0.53 LKR 175

-7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ₽121

$0.83 LKR 274

100.00%

Eggs

$1.60 ₽117

$2.23 LKR 739

-28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ₽775

$14.02 LKR 4,648

-24.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 ₽362

$4.65 LKR 1,543

6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 ₽710

$8.01 LKR 2,657

21.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ₽152

$7.37 LKR 2,444

-71.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ₽137

$1.12 LKR 371

66.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₽140

$5.83 LKR 1,934

-67.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 ₽203

$1.25 LKR 414

122.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₽55.2

$1.14 LKR 379

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₽46.08

$1.42 LKR 470

-55.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₽75.0

$1.14 LKR 379

-9.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₽32.09

$0.59 LKR 196

-25.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₽208

$10.01 LKR 3,321

-71.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 ₽696

$12.73 LKR 4,220

-25.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽67.2

$2.11 LKR 699

-56.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₽90.2

$2.97 LKR 985

-58.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽38.44

$0.14 LKR 48.01

278.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.68 ₽1,510

$5.09 LKR 1,687

306.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₽141

$0.38 LKR 128

407.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₽16.02

$0.33 LKR 109

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ₽227

$0.60 LKR 199

418.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₽52.4

$1.26 LKR 416

-42.86%

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

$20.0K ₽1.5M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-25.38%

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

$26.7K ₽1.9M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-24.11%

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

$106 ₽7,701

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

74.38%

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

$5.41 ₽395

$4.27 LKR 1,416

26.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.74 ₽638

$15.34 LKR 5,086

-43.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.40 ₽1,416

$14.79 LKR 4,903

31.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.79 ₽568

$7.11 LKR 2,358

9.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₽423

$3.28 LKR 1,086

76.52%

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

$345 ₽25.2K

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

826.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,899 ₽284.6K

$444 LKR 147.1K

778.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ₽4,325

$27.15 LKR 9,002

118.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.62 ₽2,308

$19.13 LKR 6,344

65.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 ₽5,046

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

-2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 ₽4,689

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

67.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₽40.1K

$379 LKR 125.7K

44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₽27.8K

$178 LKR 59.0K

113.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ₽74.6K

$937 LKR 310.7K

9.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ₽53.4K

$361 LKR 119.6K

102.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ₽46.4K

$247 LKR 82.1K

156.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.03

16.45

-8.63%

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

Last update for Barnaul: May 31, 2026

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $549 in Barnaul and $379 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnaul pays 157% 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: $33.00 in Barnaul vs $25.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $257, with Barnaul cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barnaul vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Barnaul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Barnaul pays 157% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $549 in Barnaul versus $379 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Barnaul versus $717 in Colombo – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Colombo runs roughly 306% less than in Barnaul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $717 in Colombo versus $997 in Barnaul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Barnaul. The gap between the two cities makes Colombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $717 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Barnaul and Colombo 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Barnaul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.