Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Kolonnawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Kolonnawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Colombo versus $483 in Kolonnawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Colombo versus $805 in Kolonnawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,128 in Kolonnawa.

Living in Colombo is roughly 63% more expensive than in Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 43% lower, Kolonnawa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 LKR 1,440

$4.46 LKR 1,464

-1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 LKR 8,464

$25.94 LKR 8,523

-0.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 LKR 2,499

$7.51 LKR 2,468

1.20%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 804

$2.56 LKR 841

-4.30%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.73 LKR 241

1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.25 LKR 81.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 737

$2.20 LKR 723

1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 979

$3.14 LKR 1,032

-5.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.65 LKR 541

-4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.56 LKR 184

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$0.59 LKR 193

37.29%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 539

$1.67 LKR 550

-1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,332

$10.52 LKR 3,456

25.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,663

$4.50 LKR 1,478

12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,347

$7.12 LKR 2,340

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,198

$7.00 LKR 2,299

-4.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$0.89 LKR 291

-1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,429

$4.37 LKR 1,436

-0.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 425

$1.24 LKR 407

4.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$1.02 LKR 334

-1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$0.76 LKR 251

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.88 LKR 290

6.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.44 LKR 145

11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,403

$10.55 LKR 3,467

-1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 LKR 4,492

$10.57 LKR 3,472

29.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 646

$1.78 LKR 586

10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 948

$2.25 LKR 738

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 57.2

$0.15 LKR 50.2

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.42 LKR 137

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.36 LKR 118

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 312

$0.87 LKR 287

9.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.35 LKR 443

-0.74%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

0.03%

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

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

1.37%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

$55.0 LKR 18.1K

0.69%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,333

$4.24 LKR 1,394

-4.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 LKR 6,755

$21.30 LKR 7,000

-3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 LKR 1,456

$4.49 LKR 1,475

-1.34%

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

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

$37.65 LKR 12.4K

3.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

-1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.17 LKR 6,626

$19.88 LKR 6,533

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,411

$16.84 LKR 5,533

-2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

$80.0 LKR 26.3K

1.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

$42.07 LKR 13.8K

2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 LKR 182.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 LKR 82.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 LKR 134.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 LKR 82.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Colombo vs $26.00 in Kolonnawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $218, with Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolonnawa wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolonnawa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,184 in Colombo and $724 in Kolonnawa 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 $38.87 in Colombo versus $37.65 in Kolonnawa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kolonnawa – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $483 in Kolonnawa versus $789 in Colombo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kolonnawa but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Kolonnawa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kolonnawa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $483 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolonnawa hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.