Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Bentota Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Bentota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Colombo versus $787 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Colombo versus $900 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,014 in Bentota.

Monthly costs are close between Colombo and Bentota; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 LKR 1,440

$4.52 LKR 1,487

-3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 LKR 8,464

$12.32 LKR 4,049

109.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 LKR 2,499

$7.83 LKR 2,572

-2.94%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 804

$2.50 LKR 823

-2.00%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.69 LKR 227

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.27 LKR 89.4

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 737

$2.27 LKR 745

-1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 979

$3.08 LKR 1,013

-3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.64 LKR 540

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$0.75 LKR 246

8.00%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 539

$1.65 LKR 541

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,332

$13.40 LKR 4,402

-1.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,663

$3.30 LKR 1,083

53.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,347

$4.49 LKR 1,477

59.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,198

$6.70 LKR 2,202

-0.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$0.77 LKR 253

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,429

$4.35 LKR 1,430

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 425

$0.95 LKR 311

35.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$1.04 LKR 342

-3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$0.75 LKR 246

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.94 LKR 309

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.46 LKR 150

6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,403

$10.27 LKR 3,373

0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 LKR 4,492

$13.54 LKR 4,448

0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 646

$1.98 LKR 650

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 948

$2.88 LKR 946

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 57.2

$0.19 LKR 63.1

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.38 LKR 126

2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.29 LKR 94.1

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 312

$0.93 LKR 304

2.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.28 LKR 420

4.69%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

-2.84%

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

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

$42.8K LKR 14.0M

-0.57%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

-0.57%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,333

$2.32 LKR 764

75.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 LKR 6,755

$9.22 LKR 3,029

122.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 LKR 1,456

$4.35 LKR 1,428

1.84%

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

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

$37.48 LKR 12.3K

3.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

$1,214 LKR 398.8K

-0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.17 LKR 6,626

$20.27 LKR 6,660

-0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,411

$16.62 LKR 5,460

-0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

$79.8 LKR 26.2K

1.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

$42.81 LKR 14.1K

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 LKR 182.2K

$541 LKR 177.7K

2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 LKR 82.3K

$303 LKR 99.6K

-17.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 LKR 134.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 LKR 82.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bentota: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Colombo and $541 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Colombo vs $12.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $218 per month, with Bentota 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 Bentota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $1,184 in Colombo and $1,181 in Bentota to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $554 in Colombo versus $541 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bentota – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $38.87 in Colombo versus $37.48 in Bentota. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $787 in Bentota versus $789 in Colombo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Colombo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Bentota wins on affordability, Colombo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.