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: $998 in Barnaul versus $718 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Barnaul versus $1,153 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,108 in Barnaul versus $1,588 in Colombo.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Barnaul 25% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 ₽583

$4.07 LKR 1,366

83.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.27 ₽2,599

$25.28 LKR 8,492

31.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ₽404

$8.60 LKR 2,891

-39.77%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ₽224

$2.71 LKR 909

5.54%

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

$1.26 ₽98.3

$0.69 LKR 232

82.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₽45.36

$0.40 LKR 136

45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ₽152

$2.27 LKR 764

-14.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₽193

$3.27 LKR 1,099

-24.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₽82.5

$1.70 LKR 571

-37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₽35.96

$0.55 LKR 185

-16.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ₽129

$0.88 LKR 295

87.50%

Eggs

$1.66 ₽129

$2.14 LKR 721

-22.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 ₽861

$13.88 LKR 4,662

-20.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ₽406

$4.78 LKR 1,606

8.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 ₽744

$8.09 LKR 2,717

17.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ₽163

$7.65 LKR 2,570

-72.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₽146

$1.07 LKR 359

73.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₽155

$5.84 LKR 1,963

-66.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₽215

$1.25 LKR 421

120.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ₽62.2

$1.14 LKR 384

-29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₽49.71

$1.36 LKR 458

-52.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₽83.9

$1.20 LKR 403

-10.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₽37.01

$0.56 LKR 190

-16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 ₽213

$9.99 LKR 3,358

-72.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.66 ₽755

$12.70 LKR 4,266

-23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₽72.5

$2.09 LKR 702

-55.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₽100

$2.90 LKR 974

-55.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₽37.86

$0.16 LKR 54.7

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.62 ₽1,611

$4.93 LKR 1,657

318.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₽150

$0.38 LKR 129

405.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₽18.83

$0.35 LKR 119

-31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ₽237

$0.62 LKR 207

390.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽58.2

$1.19 LKR 401

-37.82%

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

$20.4K ₽1.6M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-24.81%

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

$26.8K ₽2.1M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-21.83%

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

$106 ₽8,277

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

77.75%

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

$5.43 ₽424

$4.30 LKR 1,444

26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.61 ₽672

$15.37 LKR 5,165

-43.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.75 ₽1,543

$14.83 LKR 4,984

33.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 ₽600

$7.39 LKR 2,484

3.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 ₽438

$3.28 LKR 1,103

70.73%

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

$348 ₽27.2K

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

854.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,030 ₽314.9K

$442 LKR 148.5K

811.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ₽4,509

$27.73 LKR 9,318

108.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.15 ₽2,433

$19.12 LKR 6,425

62.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ₽5,384

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.6 ₽5,200

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

69.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 ₽43.0K

$368 LKR 123.6K

49.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 ₽29.2K

$173 LKR 58.0K

116.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 ₽80.2K

$971 LKR 326.1K

5.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 ₽56.5K

$369 LKR 123.9K

95.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,114 ₽165.1K

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

-41.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,667 ₽130.2K

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

44.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ₽49.8K

$251 LKR 84.2K

154.51%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $550 in Barnaul and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnaul pays 155% 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 $199 vs $258, 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.

Average pay runs 155% 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: $550 in Barnaul versus $368 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $998 per month in Barnaul versus $718 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 318% less than in Barnaul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $718 in Colombo versus $998 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 $718 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.