Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Nova Friburgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Nova Friburgo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $771 in Colombo versus $584 in Nova Friburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Colombo versus $982 in Nova Friburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,379 in Nova Friburgo.

Living in Colombo is roughly 32% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 44% lower, Nova Friburgo 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 LKR 1,480

$5.92 R$30.21

-23.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.96 LKR 8,517

$28.69 R$146

-9.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 LKR 2,557

$6.36 R$32.44

22.64%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 810

$1.65 R$8.40

49.70%

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

$0.70 LKR 228

$0.91 R$4.63

-23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.51 R$2.62

-50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 734

$1.19 R$6.07

88.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

$2.29 R$11.66

34.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 535

$0.93 R$4.75

75.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$1.46 R$7.45

-60.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.32 R$6.71

-39.39%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$1.88 R$9.58

-12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 LKR 4,292

$8.92 R$45.51

46.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 LKR 1,627

$3.27 R$16.68

51.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 LKR 2,384

$9.58 R$48.83

-24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 LKR 2,218

$1.57 R$8.01

330.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 272

$1.11 R$5.64

-25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 LKR 1,369

$0.95 R$4.82

338.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 423

$1.25 R$6.35

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 343

$0.67 R$3.44

56.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$0.79 R$4.02

2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.54 R$2.76

62.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 159

$0.79 R$4.02

-37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,361

$1.53 R$7.79

569.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 LKR 4,583

$5.72 R$29.17

144.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 621

$0.94 R$4.79

101.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 910

$1.32 R$6.74

110.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 56.5

$0.98 R$5.01

-82.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,425

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$1.14 R$5.79

-63.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.49 R$2.51

-26.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$6.60 R$33.67

-86.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 435

$1.22 R$6.24

9.02%

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

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

$18.6K R$95.1K

62.83%

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

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

$30.4K R$154.8K

37.46%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

$39.23 R$200

39.87%

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

$4.13 LKR 1,354

$9.23 R$47.05

-55.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 LKR 6,838

$18.43 R$94.0

13.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.29 LKR 4,687

$21.40 R$109

-33.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,858

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 LKR 1,419

$6.34 R$32.32

-31.70%

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

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

$140 R$714

-73.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 LKR 401.1K

$2,496 R$12.7K

-51.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.78 LKR 6,487

$68.6 R$350

-71.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.93 LKR 5,555

$81.1 R$414

-79.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

$64.1 R$327

23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

$45.53 R$232

-7.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 179.5K

$156 R$795

250.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 LKR 81.2K

$96.6 R$493

156.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

$390 R$1,990

303.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LKR 132.3K

$228 R$1,163

76.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

$1,523 R$7,766

147.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

$770 R$3,929

56.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.0K

$488 R$2,487

-48.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

10.67

18.93%

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

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Colombo and $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nova Friburgo pays 95% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Colombo vs $29.00 in Nova Friburgo. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $167, with Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nova Friburgo wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nova Friburgo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Nova Friburgo. 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: $547 in Colombo versus $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.34 in Colombo versus $140 in Nova Friburgo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nova Friburgo – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $584 in Nova Friburgo versus $771 in Colombo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nova Friburgo but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Friburgo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nova Friburgo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $584 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nova Friburgo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.