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: $717 in Colombo versus $997 in Barnaul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,542 in Barnaul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,615 in Colombo versus $2,087 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 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,369

$7.56 ₽551

-45.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,344

$32.78 ₽2,393

-23.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,719

$5.19 ₽379

58.00%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 882

$2.79 ₽204

-4.66%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$1.32 ₽96.3

-48.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.56 ₽40.58

-26.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 793

$1.84 ₽135

29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,136

$2.52 ₽184

36.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 574

$1.05 ₽76.5

64.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$0.49 ₽35.94

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 274

$1.66 ₽121

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 739

$1.60 ₽117

39.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,648

$10.62 ₽775

32.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,543

$4.96 ₽362

-6.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,657

$9.73 ₽710

-17.68%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,444

$2.09 ₽152

252.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 371

$1.87 ₽137

-40.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,934

$1.92 ₽140

203.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$2.78 ₽203

-55.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.76 ₽55.2

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 470

$0.63 ₽46.08

125.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$1.03 ₽75.0

10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 196

$0.44 ₽32.09

34.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,321

$2.85 ₽208

251.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,220

$9.54 ₽696

33.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 699

$0.92 ₽67.2

129.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$1.24 ₽90.2

139.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.01

$0.53 ₽38.44

-73.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,687

$20.68 ₽1,510

-75.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$1.93 ₽141

-80.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.22 ₽16.02

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 199

$3.11 ₽227

-80.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 416

$0.72 ₽52.4

75.00%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$20.0K ₽1.5M

34.02%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$26.7K ₽1.9M

31.78%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

$106 ₽7,701

-42.65%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$5.41 ₽395

-21.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,086

$8.74 ₽638

75.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,903

$19.40 ₽1,416

-23.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,358

$7.79 ₽568

-8.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,086

$5.79 ₽423

-43.35%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$345 ₽25.2K

-89.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 147.1K

$3,899 ₽284.6K

-88.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,002

$59.3 ₽4,325

-54.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,344

$31.62 ₽2,308

-39.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

$69.1 ₽5,046

2.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

$64.2 ₽4,689

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 125.7K

$549 ₽40.1K

-30.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.0K

$381 ₽27.8K

-53.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 310.7K

$1,023 ₽74.6K

-8.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 119.6K

$731 ₽53.4K

-50.67%

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

$635 ₽46.4K

-61.06%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Barnaul: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Colombo and $549 in Barnaul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnaul pays 157% 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 $257 vs $197, 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, Barnaul earns 157% less. 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: $379 in Colombo versus $549 in Barnaul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $717 per month in Colombo versus $997 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 306% less than in Barnaul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $717 in Colombo versus $997 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 $717 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.