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: $751 in Boracay versus $789 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,139 in Boracay versus $1,200 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,527 in Boracay versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Living in Boracay costs roughly 5% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 46% lower, Colombo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 ₱343

$4.38 LKR 1,440

24.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.52 ₱1,223

$25.76 LKR 8,464

-24.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 ₱383

$7.60 LKR 2,499

-19.61%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱147

$2.45 LKR 804

-4.08%

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

$0.65 ₱40.67

$0.74 LKR 243

-12.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$0.25 LKR 81.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱68.4

$2.24 LKR 737

-51.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₱116

$2.98 LKR 979

-37.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₱100

$1.58 LKR 520

1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ₱73.9

$0.52 LKR 172

126.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ₱59.9

$0.81 LKR 267

17.28%

Eggs

$1.86 ₱117

$1.64 LKR 539

13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₱360

$13.18 LKR 4,332

-56.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 ₱251

$5.06 LKR 1,663

-20.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 ₱462

$7.14 LKR 2,347

3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₱134

$6.69 LKR 2,198

-68.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₱102

$0.88 LKR 288

84.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 ₱157

$4.35 LKR 1,429

-42.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.7

$1.29 LKR 425

-20.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 ₱137

$1.00 LKR 330

118.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 ₱132

$0.80 LKR 263

163.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 ₱52.5

$0.94 LKR 310

-10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱35.65

$0.49 LKR 162

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₱146

$10.36 LKR 3,403

-77.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ₱506

$13.67 LKR 4,492

-40.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₱61.6

$1.96 LKR 646

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱122

$2.89 LKR 948

-32.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.51

$0.17 LKR 57.2

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.51 ₱659

$7.29 LKR 2,397

44.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱53.2

$0.39 LKR 127

117.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.72

$0.39 LKR 127

-41.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₱114

$0.95 LKR 312

91.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱70.7

$1.34 LKR 439

-15.67%

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

$23.4K ₱1.5M

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-21.88%

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

$18.1K ₱1.1M

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

-57.43%

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

$110 ₱6,914

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

99.26%

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

$15.61 ₱978

$4.06 LKR 1,333

284.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.39 ₱2,156

$20.56 LKR 6,755

67.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.83 ₱2,121

$14.69 LKR 4,827

130.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.86 ₱304

$5.92 LKR 1,947

-17.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ₱327

$4.43 LKR 1,456

17.83%

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

$126 ₱7,906

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

224.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,151 ₱511.0K

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

572.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.00 ₱1,818

$20.17 LKR 6,626

43.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.80 ₱1,304

$16.47 LKR 5,411

26.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 ₱5,083

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.57 ₱3,107

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₱17.1K

$554 LKR 182.2K

-50.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.9K

$251 LKR 82.3K

-30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₱30.8K

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

-68.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₱22.1K

$410 LKR 134.7K

-14.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,596 ₱162.8K

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

-30.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,021 ₱64.0K

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

-15.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 ₱14.4K

$252 LKR 82.7K

-8.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

12.69

-46.81%

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

Last update for Boracay: September 7, 2026

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Boracay and $554 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 9% 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: $20.00 in Boracay vs $26.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $237 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 5% in total monthly costs ($751 vs $789 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Colombo. 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: $272 in Boracay versus $554 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $751 in Boracay versus $789 in Colombo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.