Cost of Living Comparison Between Boracay and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Boracay and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $785 in Boracay versus $717 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,413 in Boracay versus $1,166 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,041 in Boracay versus $1,615 in Colombo.

Living in Boracay is roughly 9% more expensive than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 41% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ₱193

$4.13 LKR 1,376

-24.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.30 ₱1,314

$25.16 LKR 8,392

-15.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ₱303

$8.20 LKR 2,735

-40.12%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱146

$2.66 LKR 887

-11.28%

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

$1.23 ₱75.8

$0.68 LKR 226

80.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₱17.46

$0.41 LKR 136

-31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱80.2

$2.39 LKR 797

-45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₱130

$3.43 LKR 1,143

-38.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ₱108

$1.73 LKR 577

1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.1

$0.53 LKR 176

130.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱52.4

$0.83 LKR 275

2.41%

Eggs

$2.64 ₱163

$2.23 LKR 743

18.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 ₱483

$14.02 LKR 4,675

-44.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱266

$4.65 LKR 1,552

-7.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 ₱462

$8.01 LKR 2,673

-6.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$7.37 LKR 2,458

-59.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₱90.6

$1.12 LKR 373

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$5.83 LKR 1,945

-55.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 ₱88.3

$1.25 LKR 416

14.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱108

$1.14 LKR 381

54.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ₱162

$1.42 LKR 473

84.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$1.14 LKR 381

-6.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱44.01

$0.59 LKR 198

20.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ₱235

$10.01 LKR 3,340

-61.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 ₱491

$12.73 LKR 4,245

-37.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱71.2

$2.11 LKR 703

-45.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱121

$2.97 LKR 991

-34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₱22.51

$0.14 LKR 48.29

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,696

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.99

$0.38 LKR 128

113.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.57

$0.33 LKR 110

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱135

$0.60 LKR 201

265.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱77.9

$1.26 LKR 419

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

$26.4K ₱1.6M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-1.50%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-41.73%

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

$114 ₱7,039

$60.5 LKR 20.2K

88.56%

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

$8.80 ₱543

$4.27 LKR 1,424

106.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 ₱2,347

$15.34 LKR 5,116

147.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ₱3,218

$14.79 LKR 4,932

252.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱279

$7.11 LKR 2,372

-36.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 ₱254

$3.28 LKR 1,092

25.61%

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

$155 ₱9,537

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

314.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,962 ₱244.5K

$444 LKR 148.0K

792.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.06 ₱2,842

$27.15 LKR 9,054

69.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.47 ₱1,633

$19.13 LKR 6,381

38.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 ₱4,689

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 ₱3,269

$38.24 LKR 12.8K

38.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.6K

$379 LKR 126.5K

-29.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.8K

$178 LKR 59.4K

-2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 ₱35.9K

$937 LKR 312.5K

-37.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 ₱46.8K

$361 LKR 120.3K

110.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,470 ₱152.4K

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

-33.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 ₱60.7K

$1,189 LKR 396.4K

-17.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 ₱14.5K

$247 LKR 82.5K

-5.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

16.45

-59.45%

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

Last update for Boracay: May 31, 2026

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Boracay and $379 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Boracay vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $257 per month, with Boracay 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

Boracay vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boracay and Colombo differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($785 vs $717 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Colombo earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Boracay versus $379 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $155 in Boracay versus $37.28 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $21.00 in Boracay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Colombo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Boracay 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 9% less than in Boracay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.