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: $710 in Colombo versus $506 in Kolonnawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in Colombo versus $836 in Kolonnawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,587 in Colombo versus $1,166 in Kolonnawa.

Living in Colombo is roughly 40% more expensive than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 47% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 LKR 1,299

$4.04 LKR 1,278

1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.62 LKR 7,792

$24.90 LKR 7,882

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 LKR 2,627

$8.53 LKR 2,699

-2.70%

Cappuccino

$2.70 LKR 856

$2.66 LKR 841

1.50%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 117

$0.40 LKR 128

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 725

$2.30 LKR 728

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$3.33 LKR 1,054

1.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LKR 535

$1.70 LKR 539

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 166

$0.53 LKR 166

-1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 258

$0.70 LKR 222

17.14%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 679

$2.14 LKR 676

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 LKR 4,498

$8.53 LKR 2,700

66.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,465

$4.80 LKR 1,519

-3.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 LKR 2,470

$8.25 LKR 2,611

-5.45%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 LKR 2,405

$7.38 LKR 2,335

2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 349

$1.11 LKR 350

-0.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 LKR 1,886

$5.73 LKR 1,813

4.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 379

$1.26 LKR 400

-4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 349

$1.15 LKR 364

-4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 452

$1.38 LKR 437

3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 374

$1.19 LKR 378

-0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 176

$0.52 LKR 164

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,134

$10.24 LKR 3,241

-3.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 LKR 3,982

$10.98 LKR 3,475

14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 658

$2.04 LKR 645

1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 LKR 946

$2.35 LKR 744

27.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 49.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,559

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 122

$0.39 LKR 123

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.33 LKR 104

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 190

$0.58 LKR 182

3.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 396

$1.20 LKR 380

4.17%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.3M

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

-0.36%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.8M

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-2.97%

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

$59.3 LKR 18.8K

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

-2.26%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,359

$4.38 LKR 1,386

-2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,737

$14.88 LKR 4,710

0.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.33 LKR 4,537

$10.09 LKR 3,193

42.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.29 LKR 2,308

$1.65 LKR 522

341.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,076

$3.37 LKR 1,067

0.89%

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

$36.52 LKR 11.6K

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

-2.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 141.3K

$435 LKR 137.7K

2.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.17 LKR 8,600

$27.11 LKR 8,580

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.16 LKR 6,065

$19.14 LKR 6,057

0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 22.2K

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.86 LKR 12.3K

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 LKR 119.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 LKR 55.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 LKR 303.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 LKR 112.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,614 LKR 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 LKR 389.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 79.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Colombo: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Colombo and $0 in Kolonnawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25 in Colombo vs $25 in Kolonnawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $235, 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 40% 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 $1,065 in Colombo and $759 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 $36.52 in Colombo versus $37.43 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 $25.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $506 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 40% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.