Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnaul and Colombo

For one person, living is cheaper in Colombo: $803 a month against $1,008 in Barnaul, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Barnaul
Learn more

Barnaul Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Colombo
Learn more

Colombo Living Index

Jump to prices

Barnaul

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,008

/mo nomad

Colombo

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$803

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barnaul and in Colombo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barnaul and in Colombo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,008 in Barnaul versus $803 in Colombo.

Barnaul $1,008
Colombo $803

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,539 in Barnaul versus $1,208 in Colombo.

Barnaul $1,539
Colombo $1,208

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,070 in Barnaul versus $1,614 in Colombo.

Barnaul $2,070
Colombo $1,614

Living in Barnaul is roughly 25% more expensive than in Colombo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barnaul 26% lower, Colombo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.36 ₽948

$3.77 LKR 1,250

201.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.20 ₽3,355

$25.25 LKR 8,362

59.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.97 ₽498

$7.61 LKR 2,519

-21.55%

Cappuccino

$2.67 ₽223

$2.58 LKR 856

3.49%

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

$0.71 ₽59.0

$0.68 LKR 225

4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₽48.64

$0.25 LKR 82.6

132.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ₽102

$2.26 LKR 748

-45.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₽120

$3.00 LKR 995

-52.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₽89.0

$1.63 LKR 541

-34.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₽52.1

$0.57 LKR 187

8.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 ₽114

$0.79 LKR 263

73.42%

Eggs

$1.43 ₽120

$1.70 LKR 563

-15.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 ₽979

$13.65 LKR 4,522

-14.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ₽405

$4.84 LKR 1,604

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 ₽974

$7.62 LKR 2,525

53.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ₽164

$6.51 LKR 2,156

-69.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₽148

$0.85 LKR 283

108.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ₽169

$4.49 LKR 1,487

-54.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ₽178

$1.34 LKR 443

58.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ₽69.1

$0.99 LKR 329

-16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₽38.37

$0.82 LKR 271

-43.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ₽127

$0.92 LKR 305

66.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₽36.43

$0.45 LKR 150

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 ₽257

$10.17 LKR 3,370

-69.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 ₽794

$12.69 LKR 4,204

-24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₽78.9

$1.87 LKR 621

-49.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₽123

$2.94 LKR 973

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽43.98

$0.17 LKR 57.9

211.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 ₽2,158

$7.01 LKR 2,322

268.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ₽132

$0.38 LKR 124

315.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 ₽38.41

$0.37 LKR 124

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 ₽508

$0.93 LKR 308

553.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₽71.7

$1.37 LKR 454

-37.23%

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

$42.1K ₽3.5M

$43.4K LKR 14.4M

-3.06%

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

$38.7K ₽3.2M

$41.3K LKR 13.7M

-6.33%

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

$110 ₽9,200

$59.8 LKR 19.8K

84.24%

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

$5.99 ₽500

$4.36 LKR 1,444

37.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.09 ₽675

$20.96 LKR 6,942

-61.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.22 LKR 4,710

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.88 ₽1,492

$5.65 LKR 1,870

216.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ₽405

$4.60 LKR 1,525

5.65%

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

$359 ₽29.9K

$37.19 LKR 12.3K

864.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₽1.2M

$1,224 LKR 405.3K

1071.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 ₽5,280

$18.18 LKR 6,020

248.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.67 ₽3,728

$16.85 LKR 5,580

165.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽9,506

$77.5 LKR 25.7K

46.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 ₽8,310

$41.83 LKR 13.9K

138.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₽37.1K

$567 LKR 187.8K

-21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ₽28.3K

$274 LKR 90.6K

23.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 ₽56.2K

$1,506 LKR 498.9K

-55.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ₽43.7K

$424 LKR 140.4K

23.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,007 ₽167.5K

$3,742 LKR 1.2M

-46.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,684 ₽140.5K

$1,160 LKR 384.1K

45.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 ₽54.6K

$253 LKR 83.9K

158.40%

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: October 18, 2026

Last update for Colombo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Barnaul

$339 33.6%

Colombo

$274 34.1% 19.2% $65

Groceries & Markets

Barnaul

$203 20.2%

Colombo

$237 29.5% 16.5% $33

Eating Out

Barnaul

$155 15.4%

Colombo

$105 13.1% 32.2% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Barnaul

$145 14.4%

Colombo

$69 8.7% 52% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barnaul

$124 12.3%

Colombo

$85 10.6% 31.5% $39

Getting Around

Barnaul

$32 3.2%

Colombo

$10 1.2% 68.7% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Barnaul

$9.7 * 1%

Colombo

$23 2.9% 141% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Barnaul and $567 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnaul pays 158% 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: $40.00 in Barnaul vs $25.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $237, with Barnaul cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Barnaul

🇱🇰 Colombo

🕒 Local time

23:04 11:04 PM

21:34 9:34 PM

1 h 30 min behind Barnaul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,124

753,000

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to RUB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Barnaul Colombo 5,170 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Barnaul
Colombo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 25% 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 158% 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: $445 in Barnaul versus $567 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,008 per month in Barnaul versus $803 in Colombo – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Colombo runs roughly 269% less than in Barnaul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $803 in Colombo versus $1,008 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 $803 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 25% less than in Barnaul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.