Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Boracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Boracay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Colombo versus $751 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Colombo versus $1,139 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,527 in Boracay.

Living in Colombo is roughly 5% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 LKR 1,440

$5.47 ₱343

-19.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 LKR 8,464

$19.52 ₱1,223

31.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 LKR 2,499

$6.11 ₱383

24.39%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 804

$2.35 ₱147

4.26%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.65 ₱40.67

13.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.25 ₱15.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 737

$1.09 ₱68.4

105.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 979

$1.85 ₱116

61.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.60 ₱100

-1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$1.18 ₱73.9

-55.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$0.95 ₱59.9

-14.74%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 539

$1.86 ₱117

-11.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,332

$5.75 ₱360

129.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,663

$4.00 ₱251

26.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,347

$7.37 ₱462

-3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,198

$2.14 ₱134

212.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.62 ₱102

-45.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,429

$2.51 ₱157

73.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 425

$1.02 ₱63.7

26.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$2.18 ₱137

-54.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$2.11 ₱132

-62.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.84 ₱52.5

11.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.57 ₱35.65

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,403

$2.34 ₱146

342.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 LKR 4,492

$8.07 ₱506

69.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 646

$0.98 ₱61.6

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 948

$1.94 ₱122

48.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 57.2

$0.25 ₱15.51

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

$10.51 ₱659

-30.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.85 ₱53.2

-54.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.23 ₱14.72

69.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 312

$1.82 ₱114

-47.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.13 ₱70.7

18.58%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$23.4K ₱1.5M

28.02%

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

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

$18.1K ₱1.1M

134.92%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

$110 ₱6,914

-49.81%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,333

$15.61 ₱978

-73.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 LKR 6,755

$34.39 ₱2,156

-40.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,827

$33.83 ₱2,121

-56.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

$4.86 ₱304

21.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 LKR 1,456

$5.22 ₱327

-15.13%

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

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

$126 ₱7,906

-69.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

$8,151 ₱511.0K

-85.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.17 LKR 6,626

$29.00 ₱1,818

-30.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,411

$20.80 ₱1,304

-20.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

$81.1 ₱5,083

-0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

$49.57 ₱3,107

-12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 LKR 182.2K

$272 ₱17.1K

103.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 LKR 82.3K

$174 ₱10.9K

43.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

$491 ₱30.8K

222.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 LKR 134.7K

$352 ₱22.1K

16.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

$2,596 ₱162.8K

43.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

$1,021 ₱64.0K

18.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 LKR 82.7K

$230 ₱14.4K

9.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

6.75

88.00%

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

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Boracay: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Colombo and $272 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 9% 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: $26.00 in Colombo vs $20.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $180 per month, with Boracay 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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo and Boracay differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($789 vs $751 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Colombo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $554 in Colombo versus $272 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $751 in Boracay versus $789 in Colombo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.