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: $797 in Boracay versus $718 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,392 in Boracay versus $1,153 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,987 in Boracay versus $1,588 in Colombo.

Living in Boracay is roughly 11% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 40% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 ₱194

$4.07 LKR 1,366

-22.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.07 ₱1,297

$25.28 LKR 8,492

-16.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ₱296

$8.60 LKR 2,891

-44.07%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱146

$2.71 LKR 909

-12.55%

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

$1.27 ₱78.4

$0.69 LKR 232

84.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.86

$0.40 LKR 136

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱80.5

$2.27 LKR 764

-42.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱134

$3.27 LKR 1,099

-33.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.70 LKR 571

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱77.4

$0.55 LKR 185

129.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$0.88 LKR 295

-1.14%

Eggs

$2.60 ₱160

$2.14 LKR 721

21.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 ₱485

$13.88 LKR 4,662

-43.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱254

$4.78 LKR 1,606

-13.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 ₱482

$8.09 LKR 2,717

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ₱184

$7.65 LKR 2,570

-60.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ₱91.2

$1.07 LKR 359

38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$5.84 LKR 1,963

-55.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$1.25 LKR 421

15.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$1.14 LKR 384

57.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱160

$1.36 LKR 458

91.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱65.2

$1.20 LKR 403

-11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.94

$0.56 LKR 190

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ₱238

$9.99 LKR 3,358

-61.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 ₱508

$12.70 LKR 4,266

-34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.6

$2.09 LKR 702

-42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱125

$2.90 LKR 974

-30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₱22.34

$0.16 LKR 54.7

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.7

$0.38 LKR 129

115.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.80

$0.35 LKR 119

-31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 ₱127

$0.62 LKR 207

233.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱78.7

$1.19 LKR 401

7.56%

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

$26.6K ₱1.6M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-2.16%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-40.17%

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

$117 ₱7,185

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

95.81%

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

$8.78 ₱540

$4.30 LKR 1,444

104.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.13 ₱2,409

$15.37 LKR 5,165

154.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ₱3,306

$14.83 LKR 4,984

262.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.30 ₱265

$7.39 LKR 2,484

-41.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ₱261

$3.28 LKR 1,103

28.96%

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

$149 ₱9,181

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

309.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,041 ₱248.8K

$442 LKR 148.5K

814.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 ₱2,873

$27.73 LKR 9,318

68.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.65 ₱1,641

$19.12 LKR 6,425

39.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,654

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 ₱3,254

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$368 LKR 123.6K

-29.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$173 LKR 58.0K

3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.7K

$971 LKR 326.1K

-40.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ₱45.7K

$369 LKR 123.9K

101.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,397 ₱147.6K

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

-33.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 ₱58.9K

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

-17.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$238 ₱14.7K

$251 LKR 84.2K

-4.92%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Boracay and $368 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 $204 vs $258 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 11% in total monthly costs ($797 vs $718 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $261 in Boracay versus $368 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $149 in Boracay versus $36.45 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 11% less than in Boracay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.