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: $718 in Colombo versus $797 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $1,392 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $1,987 in Boracay.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 10% less than in Boracay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Boracay 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$3.16 ₱194

28.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,492

$21.07 ₱1,297

19.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$4.81 ₱296

78.79%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$2.37 ₱146

14.35%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$1.27 ₱78.4

-45.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.26 ₱15.86

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$1.31 ₱80.5

73.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$2.17 ₱134

50.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.80 ₱111

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.26 ₱77.4

-56.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$0.87 ₱53.8

1.15%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$2.60 ₱160

-17.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,662

$7.88 ₱485

76.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$4.13 ₱254

15.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$7.83 ₱482

3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,570

$2.99 ₱184

155.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.48 ₱91.2

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,963

$2.58 ₱159

126.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$1.44 ₱88.6

-13.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$1.79 ₱110

-36.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$2.60 ₱160

-47.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.06 ₱65.2

13.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.71 ₱43.94

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$3.87 ₱238

158.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,266

$8.26 ₱508

53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$1.21 ₱74.6

72.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$2.02 ₱125

43.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.36 ₱22.34

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.82 ₱50.7

-53.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.24 ₱14.80

45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$2.07 ₱127

-70.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$1.28 ₱78.7

-7.03%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

2.20%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

67.13%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$117 ₱7,185

-48.93%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$8.78 ₱540

-51.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,165

$39.13 ₱2,409

-60.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$53.7 ₱3,306

-72.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,484

$4.30 ₱265

71.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,103

$4.23 ₱261

-22.46%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$149 ₱9,180

-75.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$4,041 ₱248.8K

-89.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,318

$46.67 ₱2,873

-40.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,425

$26.65 ₱1,641

-28.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$75.6 ₱4,654

-8.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$52.9 ₱3,253

-25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$261 ₱16.1K

41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$179 ₱11.0K

-3.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.1K

$581 ₱35.7K

67.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.9K

$742 ₱45.7K

-50.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$2,397 ₱147.6K

49.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$957 ₱58.9K

20.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$238 ₱14.7K

5.18%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $261 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 $258 vs $204 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 11% in total monthly costs ($718 vs $797 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $368 in Colombo versus $261 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.45 in Colombo versus $149 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 11% less than in Boracay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.