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: $718 in Colombo versus $755 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $1,160 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $1,566 in Bekasi.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 5% less than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Bekasi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

29.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,492

$12.19 Rp 218.6K

107.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

162.20%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

41.15%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$0.49 Rp 8,838

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.28 Rp 5,064

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$3.35 Rp 60.1K

-32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$4.23 Rp 75.9K

-22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

36.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

-14.56%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

20.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,662

$8.99 Rp 161.3K

54.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

51.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$7.67 Rp 137.6K

5.48%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,570

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

171.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-32.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,963

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

156.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

-18.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

-22.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$2.58 Rp 46.2K

-47.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.42 Rp 7,582

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$2.51 Rp 45.1K

298.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,266

$22.33 Rp 400.6K

-43.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$3.07 Rp 55.1K

-5.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.39 Rp 6,964

-58.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

$12.45 Rp 223.3K

-60.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

-39.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.38 Rp 6,756

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$2.59 Rp 46.5K

-76.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

54.55%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$24.8K Rp 444.9M

9.61%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$25.8K Rp 462.5M

32.92%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$65.0 Rp 1.2M

-8.24%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$4.73 Rp 84.8K

-9.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,165

$25.82 Rp 463.1K

-40.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$17.28 Rp 310.1K

-14.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,484

$4.71 Rp 84.5K

56.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,103

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

8.97%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

-63.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$8,249 Rp 148.0M

-94.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,318

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

-50.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,425

$34.02 Rp 610.3K

-43.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

-17.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$91.1 Rp 1.6M

-56.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$310 Rp 5.6M

18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$185 Rp 3.3M

-6.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.1K

$549 Rp 9.9M

76.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.9K

$374 Rp 6.7M

-1.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$578 Rp 10.4M

520.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$905 Rp 16.2M

27.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$355 Rp 6.4M

-29.41%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $310 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bekasi pays 42% 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 $258 vs $221 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 5% in total monthly costs ($718 vs $755 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Bekasi. 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 $310 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 $718 per month in Colombo versus $755 in Bekasi – a 5% 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 5% less than in Bekasi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.