Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Katunayaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Katunayaka: $511 a month against $811 in Colombo, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Colombo
Learn more

Colombo Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Katunayaka
Learn more

Katunayaka Living Index

Jump to prices

Colombo

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$811

/mo nomad

Katunayaka

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colombo and in Katunayaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Colombo and in Katunayaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $811 in Colombo versus $511 in Katunayaka.

Colombo $811
Katunayaka $511

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,298 in Colombo versus $831 in Katunayaka.

Colombo $1,298
Katunayaka $831

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,785 in Colombo versus $1,150 in Katunayaka.

Colombo $1,785
Katunayaka $1,150

Living in Colombo is roughly 59% more expensive than in Katunayaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 40% lower, Katunayaka 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,304

$3.90 LKR 1,297

0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.58 LKR 8,177

$25.05 LKR 8,331

-1.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 LKR 2,458

$7.69 LKR 2,558

-3.90%

Cappuccino

$2.44 LKR 813

$2.55 LKR 847

-4.31%

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

$0.67 LKR 222

$0.67 LKR 224

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 83.1

$0.27 LKR 89.9

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 LKR 710

$2.17 LKR 723

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 1,007

$3.06 LKR 1,016

-0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 525

$1.62 LKR 540

-2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.53 LKR 178

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 270

$0.79 LKR 264

2.53%

Eggs

$1.62 LKR 539

$1.63 LKR 543

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 LKR 5,035

$15.37 LKR 5,111

-1.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,701

$5.06 LKR 1,684

1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 LKR 2,547

$7.57 LKR 2,519

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$6.62 LKR 2,201

$6.46 LKR 2,149

2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 293

$0.89 LKR 297

-1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 LKR 1,382

$4.28 LKR 1,424

-3.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 LKR 425

$1.29 LKR 428

-0.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 347

$1.04 LKR 346

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

$0.81 LKR 270

1.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.21 LKR 401

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

$0.45 LKR 151

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 LKR 3,338

$10.08 LKR 3,352

-0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 LKR 4,555

$13.40 LKR 4,456

2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 LKR 643

$1.87 LKR 621

3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 987

$2.83 LKR 941

4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.15 LKR 2,709

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.38 LKR 126

-2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 LKR 112

$0.31 LKR 103

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 296

$0.94 LKR 311

-5.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 440

$1.32 LKR 439

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

$43.6K LKR 14.5M

$44.3K LKR 14.7M

-1.76%

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

$45.1K LKR 15.0M

$44.9K LKR 14.9M

0.53%

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

$57.7 LKR 19.2K

$55.9 LKR 18.6K

3.15%

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

$4.28 LKR 1,424

$4.22 LKR 1,405

1.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.66 LKR 6,872

$20.66 LKR 6,870

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 LKR 6,775

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 LKR 2,043

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 LKR 1,541

$4.52 LKR 1,504

2.43%

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

$40.83 LKR 13.6K

$40.29 LKR 13.4K

1.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K LKR 5.7M

$17.1K LKR 5.7M

0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.12 LKR 6,027

$18.02 LKR 5,993

0.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.34 LKR 5,768

$17.52 LKR 5,829

-1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 LKR 25.8K

$78.9 LKR 26.3K

-1.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.29 LKR 13.7K

$41.78 LKR 13.9K

-1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 LKR 187.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 LKR 90.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 LKR 562.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 LKR 191.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,735 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 LKR 385.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 LKR 82.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

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

Last update for Colombo: October 31, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Colombo

$271 33.4%

Katunayaka

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Colombo

$244 30.1%

Katunayaka

$243 47.6% 0.3% $0.7

Eating Out

Colombo

$103 12.7%

Katunayaka

$106 20.7% 2.2% $2.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colombo

$83 10.2%

Katunayaka

$81 15.8% 2.2% $1.8

Clothing & Footwear

Colombo

$69 8.6%

Katunayaka

$70 13.8% 1.2% $0.9

Sport & Entertainment

Colombo

$30 3.7%

Katunayaka

$9 * 1.8% 69.5% $21

Getting Around

Colombo

$11 1.3%

Katunayaka

$1.9 * 0.4% 82.4% $9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25 in Colombo vs $25 in Katunayaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $243, with Katunayaka cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Colombo

🇱🇰 Katunayaka

🕒 Local time

12:17 12:17 PM

Same time as Colombo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

753,000

84,643

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Colombo Katunayaka 26 km

From you

Colombo
Katunayaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Katunayaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Katunayaka wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Katunayaka the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,217 in Colombo and $767 in Katunayaka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $41 in Colombo versus $40 in Katunayaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $811 per month in Colombo versus $511 in Katunayaka – Katunayaka is about 37% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Katunayaka 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.