Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Anuradhapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Anuradhapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $717 per month in Colombo vs $489 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Colombo vs $823 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,615 per month in Colombo vs $1,157 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Colombo costs about 47% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Colombo and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Colombo 46% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,369

$3.91 LKR 1,296

5.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,344

$25.39 LKR 8,419

-0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,719

$8.41 LKR 2,788

-2.50%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 882

$2.63 LKR 871

1.14%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.69 LKR 229

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.38 LKR 125

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 793

$2.38 LKR 791

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,136

$3.39 LKR 1,125

1.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 574

$1.72 LKR 572

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$0.56 LKR 186

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 274

$0.85 LKR 283

-2.35%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 739

$2.22 LKR 736

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,648

$13.83 LKR 4,587

1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,543

$4.69 LKR 1,555

-0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,657

$8.02 LKR 2,659

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,444

$7.26 LKR 2,406

1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 371

$1.11 LKR 368

0.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,934

$5.91 LKR 1,958

-1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$1.24 LKR 411

0.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 379

$1.10 LKR 364

3.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 470

$1.42 LKR 471

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$1.15 LKR 382

-0.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 196

$0.60 LKR 200

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,321

$10.18 LKR 3,377

-1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,220

$12.77 LKR 4,236

-0.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 699

$2.07 LKR 685

1.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$2.87 LKR 953

3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,687

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.39 LKR 128

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.35 LKR 117

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 199

$0.56 LKR 186

7.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 416

$1.20 LKR 396

5.00%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-1.10%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

-0.25%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

$26.43 LKR 8,764

128.91%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$3.25 LKR 1,079

31.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,086

$14.92 LKR 4,948

2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,358

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,086

$3.29 LKR 1,090

-0.30%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

2.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 147.1K

$439 LKR 145.7K

1.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,002

$28.02 LKR 9,292

-3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,344

$19.62 LKR 6,504

-2.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

-1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 125.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 310.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 119.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Colombo versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $257 – making Colombo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Colombo vs Anuradhapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $717 in Colombo, $489 in Anuradhapura – roughly 47% apart. Colombo costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,076 per month in Colombo and $734 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Colombo and $25.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Colombo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $717 in Colombo and $489 in Anuradhapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Colombo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $489 in Anuradhapura to $717 in Colombo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Anuradhapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Colombo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.