Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Haikou Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Haikou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $717 in Colombo versus $785 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,194 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,615 in Colombo versus $1,603 in Haikou.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,369

$2.44 ¥16.51

69.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,344

$24.58 ¥166

2.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,719

$5.06 ¥34.24

62.06%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 882

$3.06 ¥20.71

-13.07%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.46 ¥3.08

47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.33 ¥2.26

24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 793

$1.36 ¥9.22

75.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,136

$3.72 ¥25.18

-7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 574

$1.79 ¥12.07

-3.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.37 ¥9.25

-61.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 274

$0.82 ¥5.54

1.22%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 739

$1.86 ¥12.60

19.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,648

$12.66 ¥85.6

10.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,543

$5.70 ¥38.57

-18.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,657

$15.45 ¥104

-48.16%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,444

$0.81 ¥5.48

809.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 371

$0.93 ¥6.26

20.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,934

$0.43 ¥2.91

1255.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$0.93 ¥6.29

34.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.78 ¥5.25

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 470

$0.71 ¥4.83

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.29 ¥1.96

293.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 196

$0.52 ¥3.53

13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,321

$3.00 ¥20.27

233.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,220

$11.39 ¥77.0

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 699

$0.80 ¥5.42

163.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$1.65 ¥11.17

80.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.01

$0.29 ¥1.96

-51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,687

$16.58 ¥112

-69.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$2.87 ¥19.40

-86.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.36 ¥2.41

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 199

$6.53 ¥44.17

-90.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 416

$1.13 ¥7.61

11.50%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$20.4K ¥138.2K

31.01%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$16.2K ¥109.4K

117.41%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

$33.79 ¥228

79.05%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$13.85 ¥93.6

-69.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,086

$8.11 ¥54.9

89.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,903

$32.15 ¥217

-54.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,358

$5.80 ¥39.25

22.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,086

$5.46 ¥36.92

-39.93%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$333 ¥2,251

-88.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 147.1K

$27.9K ¥188.6K

-98.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,002

$41.58 ¥281

-34.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,344

$41.71 ¥282

-54.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

$42.57 ¥288

66.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

$34.35 ¥232

11.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 125.7K

$343 ¥2,320

10.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.0K

$274 ¥1,855

-35.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 310.7K

$533 ¥3,602

75.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 119.6K

$472 ¥3,191

-23.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

$3,212 ¥21.7K

15.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

$2,147 ¥14.5K

-44.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.1K

$717 ¥4,851

-65.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

4.85

239.18%

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

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Haikou: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Colombo and $343 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haikou pays 190% 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 $25.00 in Haikou. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $212, with Haikou cheaper for home cooking.

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 Haikou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Haikou. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Haikou earns 190% 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: $379 in Colombo versus $343 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Haikou pay roughly 21% 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 $25.00 in Haikou. 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 $717 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

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