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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Colombo vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Colombo vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in Colombo vs $1,167 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Colombo costs about 45% 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

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$4.03 LKR 1,355

0.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,494

$24.97 LKR 8,391

1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$8.21 LKR 2,761

4.75%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$2.73 LKR 919

-0.73%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$0.72 LKR 244

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.40 LKR 135

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$2.28 LKR 765

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$3.38 LKR 1,134

-3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.71 LKR 573

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$0.80 LKR 270

10.00%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$2.23 LKR 750

-4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,663

$14.26 LKR 4,792

-2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$4.72 LKR 1,587

1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$8.28 LKR 2,782

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,571

$7.61 LKR 2,556

0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.08 LKR 363

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,964

$5.69 LKR 1,912

2.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$1.20 LKR 402

4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$1.11 LKR 374

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$1.40 LKR 472

-2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.16 LKR 389

3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.56 LKR 188

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$9.92 LKR 3,333

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,267

$12.49 LKR 4,197

1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$2.09 LKR 703

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$2.87 LKR 963

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.39 LKR 130

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.36 LKR 120

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$0.61 LKR 206

1.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$1.21 LKR 407

-1.65%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

0.20%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

-2.17%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$27.06 LKR 9,094

120.25%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$3.41 LKR 1,147

26.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,166

$15.08 LKR 5,068

1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,485

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,104

$3.41 LKR 1,146

-3.81%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

-2.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$447 LKR 150.3K

-1.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,320

$27.71 LKR 9,312

0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,426

$19.27 LKR 6,476

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

-1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 124.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 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: $258 vs $258 – 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: $718 in Colombo, $496 in Anuradhapura – roughly 45% 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 $744 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 $718 in Colombo and $496 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 $496 in Anuradhapura to $718 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.