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: $733 in Colombo versus $775 in Dushanbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,191 in Dushanbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,598 in Colombo versus $1,607 in Dushanbe.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 5% 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

$4.08 LKR 1,302

$6.07 TJS 57.2

-32.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 7,894

$15.11 TJS 142

63.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,591

$8.85 TJS 83.3

-8.25%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 874

$2.01 TJS 18.90

36.32%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.68 TJS 6.42

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 129

$0.30 TJS 2.81

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 726

$1.20 TJS 11.31

90.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,047

$1.96 TJS 18.48

67.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 559

$0.99 TJS 9.34

76.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 180

$0.61 TJS 5.79

-8.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 261

$1.91 TJS 18.02

-57.07%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 677

$1.79 TJS 16.89

18.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 LKR 4,529

$8.97 TJS 84.5

58.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,496

$4.63 TJS 43.59

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,515

$9.53 TJS 89.8

-17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,355

$1.73 TJS 16.32

327.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$2.51 TJS 23.61

-57.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,812

$2.56 TJS 24.07

121.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 389

$1.29 TJS 12.14

-5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 369

$0.80 TJS 7.56

45.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 447

$0.57 TJS 5.39

145.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$0.80 TJS 7.54

47.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 182

$0.66 TJS 6.23

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,159

$2.41 TJS 22.68

310.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 3,974

$10.28 TJS 96.8

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 649

$1.49 TJS 14.05

36.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 904

$2.18 TJS 20.51

29.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.7

$0.24 TJS 2.25

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,622

$10.21 TJS 96.1

-50.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$1.04 TJS 9.79

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.29 TJS 2.74

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 197

$5.98 TJS 56.3

-89.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 381

$0.99 TJS 9.31

20.20%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$18.5K TJS 173.9K

47.64%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$26.2K TJS 246.7K

30.51%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$51.8 TJS 488

17.70%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,398

$13.77 TJS 130

-68.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.01 LKR 4,788

$24.10 TJS 227

-37.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 LKR 4,682

$39.24 TJS 370

-62.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,379

$9.05 TJS 85.3

-17.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,096

$4.83 TJS 45.53

-28.78%

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

$37.27 LKR 11.9K

$103 TJS 974

-63.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 138.0K

$14.5K TJS 137.0K

-97.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.07 LKR 8,951

$30.33 TJS 286

-7.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,158

$38.28 TJS 361

-49.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 22.5K

$75.2 TJS 708

-6.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$54.3 TJS 511

-28.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 117.2K

$433 TJS 4,082

-15.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 57.0K

$233 TJS 2,194

-23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 LKR 309.3K

$756 TJS 7,124

28.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 LKR 116.0K

$417 TJS 3,929

-12.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

$1,274 TJS 12.0K

181.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 LKR 390.7K

$708 TJS 6,669

73.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 LKR 76.7K

$466 TJS 4,389

-48.39%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dushanbe: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $433 in Dushanbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dushanbe pays 94% 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 $255 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 6% 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 94% 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: $368 in Colombo versus $433 in Dushanbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dushanbe pay roughly 30% 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 $733 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 6% less than in Dushanbe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.