Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Oral Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Oral

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $733 in Colombo versus $750 in Oral.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,163 in Oral.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,598 in Colombo versus $1,577 in Oral.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 2% less than in Oral, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Oral 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 LKR 1,302

$7.27 ₸3,360

-43.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 7,894

$30.64 ₸14.2K

-19.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,591

$7.29 ₸3,371

11.39%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 874

$1.70 ₸784

61.18%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.90 ₸415

-24.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 129

$0.57 ₸261

-29.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 726

$0.81 ₸374

181.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,047

$1.80 ₸832

82.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 559

$1.24 ₸574

41.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 180

$0.38 ₸174

47.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 261

$1.45 ₸673

-43.45%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 677

$1.33 ₸615

59.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 LKR 4,529

$7.86 ₸3,634

80.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,496

$3.90 ₸1,802

20.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,515

$9.73 ₸4,498

-18.91%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,355

$1.05 ₸485

603.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$1.86 ₸862

-43.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,812

$2.01 ₸930

182.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 389

$2.95 ₸1,365

-58.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 369

$0.40 ₸185

190.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 447

$0.31 ₸144

351.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$0.64 ₸295

84.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 182

$0.95 ₸441

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,159

$1.79 ₸830

453.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 3,974

$7.48 ₸3,459

66.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 649

$0.61 ₸283

234.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 904

$1.52 ₸702

86.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.7

$0.22 ₸101

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$0.57 ₸265

-31.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.66 ₸306

-46.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 197

$4.79 ₸2,216

-87.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 381

$0.50 ₸231

138.00%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$19.7K ₸9.1M

38.26%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$24.4K ₸11.3M

40.02%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$73.7 ₸34.1K

-17.39%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,398

$7.93 ₸3,669

-44.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.01 LKR 4,788

$12.54 ₸5,797

19.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 LKR 4,682

$69.0 ₸31.9K

-78.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,379

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,096

$2.96 ₸1,367

16.22%

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

$37.27 LKR 11.9K

$208 ₸96.4K

-82.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 138.0K

$4,923 ₸2.3M

-91.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.07 LKR 8,951

$29.77 ₸13.8K

-5.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,158

$35.77 ₸16.5K

-46.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 22.5K

$88.9 ₸41.1K

-20.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$77.7 ₸35.9K

-49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 117.2K

$249 ₸115.0K

47.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 57.0K

$187 ₸86.4K

-4.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 LKR 309.3K

$394 ₸182.0K

146.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 LKR 116.0K

$273 ₸126.3K

33.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 LKR 390.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 LKR 76.7K

$429 ₸198.2K

-43.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

18.39

-10.55%

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

Last update for Colombo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Oral: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $249 in Oral. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oral pays 78% 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: $25.00 in Colombo vs $31.00 in Oral. Groceries flip the comparison at $255 vs $176, with Oral 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 Oral: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Oral. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Oral earns 78% less. 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: $368 in Colombo versus $249 in Oral. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.27 in Colombo versus $208 in Oral. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $31.00 in Oral. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Colombo 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 Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $733 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Oral 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Oral. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.