Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in Bentota versus $789 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $900 in Bentota versus $1,200 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,014 in Bentota versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Monthly costs are close between Bentota and Colombo; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bentota 43% lower, Colombo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 LKR 1,487

$4.38 LKR 1,440

3.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.32 LKR 4,049

$25.76 LKR 8,464

-52.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 LKR 2,572

$7.60 LKR 2,499

3.03%

Cappuccino

$2.50 LKR 823

$2.45 LKR 804

2.04%

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

$0.69 LKR 227

$0.74 LKR 243

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.4

$0.25 LKR 81.4

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 745

$2.24 LKR 737

1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,013

$2.98 LKR 979

3.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 LKR 540

$1.58 LKR 520

3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$0.81 LKR 267

-7.41%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$1.64 LKR 539

0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.40 LKR 4,402

$13.18 LKR 4,332

1.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 LKR 1,083

$5.06 LKR 1,663

-34.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 LKR 1,477

$7.14 LKR 2,347

-37.11%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 LKR 2,202

$6.69 LKR 2,198

0.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 253

$0.88 LKR 288

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,430

$4.35 LKR 1,429

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 LKR 311

$1.29 LKR 425

-26.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 342

$1.00 LKR 330

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$0.80 LKR 263

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 309

$0.94 LKR 310

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 150

$0.49 LKR 162

-6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 LKR 3,373

$10.36 LKR 3,403

-0.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 LKR 4,448

$13.67 LKR 4,492

-0.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 LKR 650

$1.96 LKR 646

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 LKR 946

$2.89 LKR 948

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 63.1

$0.17 LKR 57.2

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.39 LKR 127

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 94.1

$0.39 LKR 127

-25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 304

$0.95 LKR 312

-2.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 420

$1.34 LKR 439

-4.48%

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

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

2.92%

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

$42.8K LKR 14.0M

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

0.57%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

0.58%

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

$2.32 LKR 764

$4.06 LKR 1,333

-42.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.22 LKR 3,029

$20.56 LKR 6,755

-55.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 LKR 1,428

$4.43 LKR 1,456

-1.81%

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

$37.48 LKR 12.3K

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

-3.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,214 LKR 398.8K

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.27 LKR 6,660

$20.17 LKR 6,626

0.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.62 LKR 5,460

$16.47 LKR 5,411

0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 LKR 26.2K

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.81 LKR 14.1K

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

-0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 LKR 177.7K

$554 LKR 182.2K

-2.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 LKR 99.6K

$251 LKR 82.3K

20.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 LKR 134.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 LKR 82.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Bentota: September 7, 2026

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $541 in Bentota and $554 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Bentota vs $26.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $237 per month, with Bentota cheaper across the board.

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

Bentota vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $1,181 in Bentota and $1,184 in Colombo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $541 in Bentota versus $554 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bentota – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $37.48 in Bentota versus $38.87 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $787 in Bentota versus $789 in Colombo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Colombo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Bentota wins on affordability, Colombo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.