Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Bekasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Bekasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $717 in Colombo versus $733 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,124 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,615 in Colombo versus $1,515 in Bekasi.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 2% less than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Bekasi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,369

$3.14 Rp 56.0K

31.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,344

$12.23 Rp 218.5K

105.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,719

$3.34 Rp 59.6K

145.51%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 882

$1.87 Rp 33.4K

42.25%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.53 Rp 9,528

28.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.26 Rp 4,613

57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 793

$3.34 Rp 59.6K

-28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,136

$4.43 Rp 79.1K

-22.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 574

$1.22 Rp 21.7K

41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

-53.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 274

$1.01 Rp 18.0K

-17.82%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 739

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

28.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,648

$9.05 Rp 161.6K

54.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,543

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

46.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,657

$8.06 Rp 144.0K

-0.62%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,444

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

160.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 371

$1.55 Rp 27.7K

-27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,934

$2.27 Rp 40.6K

156.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

-20.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 379

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

-26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 470

$2.58 Rp 46.0K

-44.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

12.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 196

$0.46 Rp 8,244

28.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,321

$2.53 Rp 45.2K

295.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,220

$22.09 Rp 394.5K

-42.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 699

$2.11 Rp 37.7K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$3.08 Rp 55.0K

-3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.01

$0.38 Rp 6,798

-63.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,687

$12.44 Rp 222.2K

-59.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

-34.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.35 Rp 6,186

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 199

$2.50 Rp 44.7K

-76.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 416

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

63.64%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$24.4K Rp 434.9M

9.93%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

34.49%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

$64.8 Rp 1.2M

-6.62%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$4.69 Rp 83.7K

-8.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,086

$26.30 Rp 469.7K

-41.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,903

$17.75 Rp 317.0K

-16.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,358

$4.58 Rp 81.7K

55.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,086

$3.01 Rp 53.7K

8.97%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

-62.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 147.1K

$8,270 Rp 147.7M

-94.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,002

$57.3 Rp 1.0M

-52.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,344

$33.77 Rp 603.1K

-43.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

$81.7 Rp 1.5M

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

$88.8 Rp 1.6M

-56.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 125.7K

$311 Rp 5.6M

21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.0K

$185 Rp 3.3M

-3.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 310.7K

$550 Rp 9.8M

70.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 119.6K

$374 Rp 6.7M

-3.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

$604 Rp 10.8M

516.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

$902 Rp 16.1M

31.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.1K

$362 Rp 6.5M

-31.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

9.15

79.78%

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

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Colombo and $311 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bekasi pays 46% 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 $12.00 in Bekasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $223 per month, with Bekasi 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

Colombo vs Bekasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo and Bekasi differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($717 vs $733 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bekasi earns 46% 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 $311 in Bekasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $12.00 in Bekasi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $717 per month in Colombo versus $733 in Bekasi – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Expats usually find Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bekasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.