Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Barnaul Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Barnaul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $718 in Colombo versus $998 in Barnaul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $1,553 in Barnaul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $2,108 in Barnaul.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 28% less than in Barnaul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Barnaul 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$7.46 ₽586

-45.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,492

$33.27 ₽2,611

-24.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$5.18 ₽406

66.02%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$2.86 ₽225

-5.24%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$1.26 ₽98.7

-45.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.58 ₽45.58

-31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$1.94 ₽152

17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$2.47 ₽194

32.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.06 ₽82.9

60.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.46 ₽36.12

19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.65 ₽130

-46.67%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$1.66 ₽130

28.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,662

$11.02 ₽865

25.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$5.19 ₽407

-7.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$9.52 ₽747

-15.02%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,570

$2.08 ₽163

267.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.86 ₽146

-42.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,963

$1.98 ₽156

194.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$2.75 ₽216

-54.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$0.80 ₽62.5

42.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$0.64 ₽49.95

112.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.07 ₽84.3

12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.47 ₽37.18

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$2.73 ₽214

265.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,266

$9.66 ₽758

31.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$0.93 ₽72.8

124.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$1.28 ₽101

126.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.48 ₽38.04

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

$20.62 ₽1,619

-76.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$1.92 ₽151

-80.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.24 ₽18.92

45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$3.04 ₽238

-79.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$0.74 ₽58.5

60.81%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$20.4K ₽1.6M

32.99%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$26.8K ₽2.1M

27.93%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$106 ₽8,315

-43.74%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$5.43 ₽426

-20.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,165

$8.61 ₽675

78.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$19.75 ₽1,550

-24.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,484

$7.68 ₽603

-3.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,103

$5.60 ₽440

-41.43%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$348 ₽27.3K

-89.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$4,030 ₽316.3K

-89.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,318

$57.7 ₽4,530

-51.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,425

$31.15 ₽2,445

-38.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$68.9 ₽5,409

0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$66.6 ₽5,225

-40.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$550 ₽43.2K

-33.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$374 ₽29.3K

-53.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.1K

$1,027 ₽80.6K

-5.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.9K

$723 ₽56.7K

-48.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$2,114 ₽165.9K

69.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$1,667 ₽130.8K

-30.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$638 ₽50.1K

-60.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

15.03

9.45%

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

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Barnaul: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $550 in Barnaul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnaul pays 155% 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: $25.00 in Colombo vs $33.00 in Barnaul. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $199, with Barnaul cheaper for home cooking.

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 Barnaul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Barnaul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 155% lower in Barnaul. 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: $368 in Colombo versus $550 in Barnaul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $718 per month in Colombo versus $998 in Barnaul – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Colombo runs roughly 318% less than in Barnaul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $718 in Colombo versus $998 in Barnaul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Barnaul. The gap between the two cities makes Colombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $718 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Barnaul 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 39% less than in Barnaul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.