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: $936 in Barnaul versus $771 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Barnaul versus $1,191 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,820 in Barnaul versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Living in Barnaul is roughly 21% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barnaul 32% lower, Colombo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.35 ₽723

$4.51 LKR 1,480

85.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.76 ₽3,354

$25.96 LKR 8,517

49.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 ₽503

$7.80 LKR 2,557

-25.51%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₽237

$2.47 LKR 810

10.53%

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

$0.79 ₽68.4

$0.70 LKR 228

12.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₽26.19

$0.25 LKR 81.8

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₽99.5

$2.24 LKR 734

-48.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₽124

$3.08 LKR 1,010

-53.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 ₽82.2

$1.63 LKR 535

-41.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₽48.73

$0.57 LKR 187

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ₽114

$0.80 LKR 264

63.75%

Eggs

$1.54 ₽134

$1.65 LKR 541

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 ₽974

$13.08 LKR 4,292

-13.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 ₽404

$4.96 LKR 1,627

-5.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 ₽898

$7.27 LKR 2,384

42.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽164

$6.76 LKR 2,218

-72.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ₽141

$0.83 LKR 272

96.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ₽161

$4.17 LKR 1,369

-55.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 ₽185

$1.29 LKR 423

65.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₽31.19

$1.05 LKR 343

-65.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₽40.85

$0.81 LKR 266

-41.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 ₽23.85

$0.88 LKR 290

-68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₽34.41

$0.49 LKR 159

-18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₽286

$10.25 LKR 3,361

-67.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₽809

$13.97 LKR 4,583

-33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₽84.4

$1.89 LKR 621

-48.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₽117

$2.78 LKR 910

-51.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽46.25

$0.17 LKR 56.5

211.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.67 ₽2,135

$7.39 LKR 2,425

233.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ₽126

$0.42 LKR 137

245.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ₽41.76

$0.36 LKR 117

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 ₽507

$0.88 LKR 288

565.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽65.3

$1.33 LKR 435

-43.61%

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

$23.4K ₽2.0M

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

-22.99%

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

$33.2K ₽2.9M

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-20.55%

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

$111 ₽9,571

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

101.57%

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

$5.19 ₽449

$4.13 LKR 1,354

25.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.92 ₽686

$20.85 LKR 6,838

-62.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.04 ₽1,215

$14.29 LKR 4,687

-1.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.32 ₽1,499

$5.67 LKR 1,858

205.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 ₽391

$4.33 LKR 1,419

4.39%

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

$353 ₽30.6K

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

845.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ₽1.2M

$1,223 LKR 401.1K

1031.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.28 ₽2,966

$19.78 LKR 6,487

73.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.91 ₽2,502

$16.93 LKR 5,555

70.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽11.4K

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

65.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 ₽8,176

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

123.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 ₽34.5K

$547 LKR 179.5K

-27.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₽27.2K

$248 LKR 81.2K

27.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$559 ₽48.4K

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

-64.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 ₽36.6K

$403 LKR 132.3K

4.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,829 ₽158.3K

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

-51.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 ₽128.2K

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

23.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$566 ₽49.0K

$250 LKR 82.0K

126.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.83

12.69

79.91%

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

Last update for Barnaul: August 31, 2026

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $399 in Barnaul and $547 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnaul pays 127% 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: $39.00 in Barnaul vs $26.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $237, 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 21% 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.

Average pay runs 127% higher in Barnaul, 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: $399 in Barnaul versus $547 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $936 per month in Barnaul versus $771 in Colombo – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Colombo runs roughly 234% less than in Barnaul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $771 in Colombo versus $936 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 $771 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 21% less than in Barnaul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.