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: $717 in Colombo versus $785 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,413 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,615 in Colombo versus $2,041 in Boracay.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 9% less than in Boracay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Boracay 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,376

$3.13 ₱193

31.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,392

$21.30 ₱1,314

18.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,735

$4.91 ₱303

67.01%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 887

$2.36 ₱146

12.71%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$1.23 ₱75.8

-44.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.28 ₱17.46

46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 797

$1.30 ₱80.2

83.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,143

$2.11 ₱130

62.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 577

$1.75 ₱108

-1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.22 ₱75.1

-56.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 275

$0.85 ₱52.4

-2.35%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 743

$2.64 ₱163

-15.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,675

$7.83 ₱483

79.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,552

$4.30 ₱266

8.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,673

$7.49 ₱462

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,458

$2.98 ₱184

147.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 373

$1.47 ₱90.6

-23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,945

$2.58 ₱159

125.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 416

$1.43 ₱88.3

-12.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 381

$1.76 ₱108

-35.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 473

$2.62 ₱162

-45.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 381

$1.07 ₱66.1

6.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 198

$0.71 ₱44.01

-16.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,340

$3.81 ₱235

162.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,245

$7.95 ₱491

60.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 703

$1.15 ₱71.2

83.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 991

$1.96 ₱121

51.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.29

$0.36 ₱22.51

-61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,696

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.81 ₱49.99

-53.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.22 ₱13.57

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 201

$2.19 ₱135

-72.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 419

$1.26 ₱77.9

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$26.4K ₱1.6M

1.53%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

71.62%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.2K

$114 ₱7,039

-46.97%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,424

$8.80 ₱543

-51.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,116

$38.04 ₱2,347

-59.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,932

$52.2 ₱3,218

-71.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,372

$4.52 ₱279

57.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,092

$4.12 ₱254

-20.39%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$155 ₱9,537

-75.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 148.0K

$3,962 ₱244.5K

-88.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,054

$46.06 ₱2,842

-41.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,381

$26.47 ₱1,633

-27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

$76.0 ₱4,689

-6.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.8K

$53.0 ₱3,269

-27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 126.5K

$269 ₱16.6K

41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.4K

$174 ₱10.8K

2.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 312.5K

$583 ₱35.9K

60.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 120.3K

$758 ₱46.8K

-52.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

$2,470 ₱152.4K

50.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 396.4K

$983 ₱60.7K

20.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.5K

$235 ₱14.5K

5.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

6.67

146.63%

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

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Boracay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Colombo and $269 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Colombo vs $21.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $201 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 9% in total monthly costs ($717 vs $785 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Colombo pays 5% more on average, 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: $379 in Colombo versus $269 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.28 in Colombo versus $155 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $21.00 in Boracay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Boracay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.