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: $805 in Colombo versus $664 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,206 in Colombo versus $1,081 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,607 in Colombo versus $1,498 in Bekasi.

Living in Colombo is roughly 21% more expensive than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 41% lower, Bekasi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 LKR 1,444

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

73.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 LKR 8,489

$14.25 Rp 252.3K

79.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 LKR 2,486

$3.34 Rp 59.2K

124.85%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 852

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

64.74%

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

$0.69 LKR 228

$0.42 Rp 7,443

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.7

$0.25 Rp 4,431

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 LKR 739

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

-16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 LKR 1,015

$3.89 Rp 68.8K

-21.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 LKR 535

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 189

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

-50.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 259

$0.92 Rp 16.3K

-15.22%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 546

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 LKR 4,327

$9.71 Rp 172.0K

34.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 LKR 1,672

$3.02 Rp 53.4K

67.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 LKR 2,359

$7.85 Rp 138.9K

-9.30%

Apples (1kg)

$6.96 LKR 2,306

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

145.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 272

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,427

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

62.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 408

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

-10.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 331

$1.41 Rp 24.9K

-29.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$2.13 Rp 37.8K

-61.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.93 Rp 16.4K

1.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.45 Rp 7,967

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 LKR 3,357

$2.68 Rp 47.5K

278.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 LKR 4,479

$22.26 Rp 394.2K

-39.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 633

$2.02 Rp 35.8K

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 944

$3.18 Rp 56.3K

-10.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.6

$0.35 Rp 6,268

-51.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.05 LKR 2,335

$11.36 Rp 201.2K

-37.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

-55.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.45 Rp 7,938

-17.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-62.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 447

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

75.32%

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

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

$21.3K Rp 377.1M

74.51%

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

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

$33.2K Rp 588.2M

23.04%

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

$55.6 LKR 18.4K

$64.9 Rp 1.1M

-14.33%

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

$4.17 LKR 1,382

$6.07 Rp 107.5K

-31.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 LKR 6,793

$19.54 Rp 345.9K

5.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,864

$16.16 Rp 286.1K

-9.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 LKR 1,926

$6.31 Rp 111.8K

-7.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 LKR 1,503

$3.47 Rp 61.5K

30.84%

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

$38.14 LKR 12.6K

$132 Rp 2.3M

-71.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,226 LKR 406.0K

$8,275 Rp 146.5M

-85.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.94 LKR 6,601

$59.7 Rp 1.1M

-66.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.86 LKR 5,583

$32.87 Rp 582.1K

-48.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 LKR 26.7K

$77.0 Rp 1.4M

4.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.33 LKR 14.0K

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

-55.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 LKR 198.9K

$204 Rp 3.6M

193.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 LKR 88.7K

$133 Rp 2.4M

101.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 LKR 491.8K

$469 Rp 8.3M

216.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 LKR 143.0K

$363 Rp 6.4M

18.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,735 LKR 1.2M

$596 Rp 10.5M

527.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 LKR 394.8K

$911 Rp 16.1M

30.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.9K

$372 Rp 6.6M

-32.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

9.46

34.14%

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

Last update for Colombo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bekasi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $601 in Colombo and $204 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bekasi pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Colombo vs $14.00 in Bekasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $220 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 21% in total monthly costs ($805 vs $664 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 49% 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: $601 in Colombo versus $204 in Bekasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bekasi – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $805 per month in Colombo versus $664 in Bekasi – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $664 in Bekasi versus $805 in Colombo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bekasi but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Bekasi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Bekasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.