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: $727 in Colombo versus $776 in Dushanbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,162 in Colombo versus $1,178 in Dushanbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Colombo versus $1,579 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 45% lower, Dushanbe 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,316

$6.07 TJS 56.1

-35.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 LKR 8,337

$14.72 TJS 136

69.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 LKR 2,834

$8.58 TJS 79.4

-1.40%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 919

$2.08 TJS 19.22

31.73%

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

$0.75 LKR 250

$0.66 TJS 6.11

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.32 TJS 3.00

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 776

$1.21 TJS 11.15

91.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,097

$1.96 TJS 18.14

66.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 595

$0.93 TJS 8.61

91.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.61 TJS 5.68

-8.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 293

$1.96 TJS 18.12

-55.61%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 731

$1.85 TJS 17.08

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,687

$9.18 TJS 84.9

52.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,579

$4.54 TJS 41.93

3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 LKR 2,751

$9.13 TJS 84.5

-10.08%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,491

$1.72 TJS 15.94

331.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 355

$2.64 TJS 24.36

-59.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,920

$2.57 TJS 23.74

122.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.25 TJS 11.57

0.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 372

$0.74 TJS 6.82

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 475

$0.53 TJS 4.93

167.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.80 TJS 7.42

45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.63 TJS 5.80

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 LKR 3,376

$2.44 TJS 22.52

312.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,248

$11.16 TJS 103

13.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 695

$1.42 TJS 13.17

46.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 995

$2.18 TJS 20.13

36.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.1

$0.24 TJS 2.22

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,700

$9.83 TJS 90.9

-48.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$1.03 TJS 9.50

-59.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.27 TJS 2.49

18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$5.78 TJS 53.5

-89.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$0.93 TJS 8.61

30.11%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

$18.5K TJS 170.6K

42.90%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$25.6K TJS 236.9K

38.07%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

$51.4 TJS 475

16.23%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,439

$13.76 TJS 127

-68.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,038

$24.34 TJS 225

-38.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,921

$39.80 TJS 368

-63.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,437

$9.01 TJS 83.3

-19.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,155

$5.03 TJS 46.54

-31.41%

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

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

$103 TJS 954

-64.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.0K

$14.7K TJS 135.6K

-96.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 9,084

$30.28 TJS 280

-10.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 LKR 6,468

$38.91 TJS 360

-50.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

$75.1 TJS 694

-5.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

$55.5 TJS 513

-29.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.3K

$442 TJS 4,084

-16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

$229 TJS 2,116

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.0K

$735 TJS 6,791

27.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.7K

$430 TJS 3,972

-14.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

$1,296 TJS 12.0K

179.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.3K

$701 TJS 6,478

68.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.8K

$438 TJS 4,046

-44.22%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Dushanbe: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $442 in Dushanbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dushanbe pays 79% 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 $258 vs $197 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, salaries run 79% lower in Dushanbe. 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: $368 in Colombo versus $442 in Dushanbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dushanbe pay roughly 31% 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 $727 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.