Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Dushanbe Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Dushanbe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $725 in Colombo versus $773 in Dushanbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Colombo versus $1,200 in Dushanbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,595 in Colombo versus $1,627 in Dushanbe.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 6% less than in Dushanbe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Dushanbe 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 LKR 1,326

$5.92 TJS 55.1

-32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.39 LKR 8,469

$14.71 TJS 137

72.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 LKR 2,865

$8.83 TJS 82.2

-2.72%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 872

$1.99 TJS 18.53

31.16%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$0.64 TJS 5.96

14.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.32 TJS 3.02

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 769

$1.20 TJS 11.18

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,087

$1.96 TJS 18.28

66.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LKR 564

$0.91 TJS 8.52

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.63 TJS 5.85

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 274

$1.92 TJS 17.85

-57.29%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 738

$1.77 TJS 16.53

24.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.16 LKR 4,724

$8.81 TJS 82.1

60.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,581

$4.45 TJS 41.45

6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 LKR 2,761

$9.35 TJS 87.2

-11.44%

Apples (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,480

$1.65 TJS 15.33

350.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$2.60 TJS 24.23

-57.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 LKR 1,966

$2.53 TJS 23.53

132.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 400

$1.24 TJS 11.59

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 387

$0.76 TJS 7.07

52.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 452

$0.54 TJS 5.05

151.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 396

$0.80 TJS 7.48

48.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.68 TJS 6.29

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 LKR 3,392

$2.43 TJS 22.66

318.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 LKR 4,290

$10.01 TJS 93.3

28.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 703

$1.43 TJS 13.34

47.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 LKR 997

$2.25 TJS 20.96

32.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 64.5

$0.26 TJS 2.42

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.96 LKR 1,656

$10.07 TJS 93.8

-50.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.01 TJS 9.42

-61.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.27 TJS 2.49

29.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 188

$6.07 TJS 56.6

-90.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$0.97 TJS 9.03

29.90%

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

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

$18.4K TJS 171.2K

46.09%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

$26.1K TJS 242.7K

33.12%

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

$60.9 LKR 20.3K

$50.8 TJS 473

20.06%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,433

$13.69 TJS 128

-68.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.85 LKR 4,954

$24.56 TJS 229

-39.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.58 LKR 4,862

$39.41 TJS 367

-63.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 LKR 2,482

$9.07 TJS 84.6

-17.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,093

$5.07 TJS 47.26

-35.31%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$103 TJS 958

-64.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$440 LKR 146.8K

$14.7K TJS 136.5K

-97.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.09 LKR 9,369

$30.43 TJS 284

-7.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.63 LKR 6,549

$39.00 TJS 363

-49.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

$74.2 TJS 692

-5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.80 LKR 12.9K

$55.1 TJS 513

-29.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 122.1K

$441 TJS 4,111

-17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 58.1K

$229 TJS 2,138

-24.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 312.5K

$753 TJS 7,013

24.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 122.1K

$426 TJS 3,971

-14.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,583 LKR 1.2M

$1,281 TJS 11.9K

179.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 LKR 385.9K

$701 TJS 6,529

65.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 LKR 80.0K

$467 TJS 4,350

-48.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

25.75

-36.12%

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

Last update for Colombo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dushanbe: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Colombo and $441 in Dushanbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dushanbe pays 95% 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: $25.00 in Colombo vs $15.00 in Dushanbe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $193 per month, with Dushanbe 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 Dushanbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Dushanbe. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Dushanbe earns 95% less. 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: $366 in Colombo versus $441 in Dushanbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dushanbe pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $15.00 in Dushanbe. 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 work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $725 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Dushanbe 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 7% less than in Dushanbe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.