Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $811 in Colombo, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Colombo
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Colombo Living Index

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Colombo

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$811

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colombo and in Maharagama

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 Maharagama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $811 in Colombo versus $131 in Maharagama.

Colombo $811
Maharagama $131

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,298 in Colombo versus $246 in Maharagama.

Colombo $1,298
Maharagama $246

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,785 in Colombo versus $361 in Maharagama.

Colombo $1,785
Maharagama $361

Living in Colombo is roughly 520% more expensive than in Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 40% lower, Maharagama 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,304

$5.30 LKR 1,761

-26.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.58 LKR 8,177

$20.24 LKR 6,733

21.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 LKR 2,458

$6.67 LKR 2,220

10.79%

Cappuccino

$2.44 LKR 813

$2.11 LKR 702

15.64%

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

$0.67 LKR 222

$0.64 LKR 213

4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 83.1

$0.29 LKR 95.3

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 LKR 710

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 1,007

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 525

$0.87 LKR 288

81.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.23 LKR 76.1

130.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 270

$0.50 LKR 167

62.00%

Eggs

$1.62 LKR 539

$1.42 LKR 474

14.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 LKR 5,035

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,701

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 LKR 2,547

Apples (1kg)

$6.62 LKR 2,201

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 293

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 LKR 1,382

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 LKR 425

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 347

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 LKR 404

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 LKR 3,338

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 LKR 4,555

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 LKR 643

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 987

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

$0.44 LKR 146

-15.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 LKR 112

$0.46 LKR 154

-26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 296

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 440

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

$43.6K LKR 14.5M

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

$45.1K LKR 15.0M

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

$57.7 LKR 19.2K

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

$4.28 LKR 1,424

$4.55 LKR 1,514

-5.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.66 LKR 6,872

$13.38 LKR 4,450

54.41%

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

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

$40.83 LKR 13.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.12 LKR 6,027

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.34 LKR 5,768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 LKR 25.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.29 LKR 13.7K

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

$198 LKR 65.9K

753.14%

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

$240 LKR 79.7K

3.71%

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 Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colombo

$271 33.4%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Colombo

$244 30.1%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Colombo

$103 12.7%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colombo

$83 10.2%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Colombo

$69 8.6%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Colombo

$30 3.7%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Colombo

$11 1.3%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Colombo pays 4% 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 in Colombo vs $20 in Maharagama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $19 per month, with Maharagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Colombo

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

Same time as Colombo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

753,000

196,400

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Colombo Maharagama 13 km

From you

Colombo
Maharagama

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maharagama wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Maharagama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Colombo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you’ll spend $811 per month in Colombo versus $131 in Maharagama – Maharagama is about 84% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1210% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

It comes down to priorities – Maharagama wins on affordability, Colombo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.