Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Oryol

For one person, living is cheaper in Oryol: $645 a month against $805 in Colombo, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Colombo outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Colombo
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$805
/mo nomad
Oryol
🇷🇺 Russia
$645
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colombo and in Oryol

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Colombo versus $645 in Oryol.

  • Colombo $805
  • Oryol $645

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,211 in Colombo versus $1,103 in Oryol.

  • Colombo $1,211
  • Oryol $1,103

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,617 in Colombo versus $1,560 in Oryol.

  • Colombo $1,617
  • Oryol $1,560

Living in Colombo is roughly 25% more expensive than in Oryol, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 40% lower, Oryol 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.89 LKR 1,287
$12.07 ₽1,007
-67.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.55 LKR 8,130
$44.57 ₽3,720
-44.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.60 LKR 2,519
$6.03 ₽503
26.04%
Cappuccino
$2.55 LKR 845
$2.56 ₽213
-0.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 LKR 226
$1.20 ₽101
-43.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 LKR 89.8
$0.63 ₽52.2
-57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 LKR 745
$1.83 ₽153
22.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 LKR 1,019
$1.85 ₽154
66.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 LKR 539
$1.17 ₽97.6
39.32%
White Bread (500g)
$0.58 LKR 191
$0.64 ₽53.6
-9.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.77 LKR 255
$1.49 ₽125
-48.32%
Eggs
$1.72 LKR 571
$1.38 ₽116
24.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.97 LKR 4,627
$7.98 ₽666
75.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.79 LKR 1,587
$5.15 ₽430
-6.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.41 LKR 2,455
$8.13 ₽678
-8.86%
Apples (1kg)
$6.54 LKR 2,168
$1.62 ₽135
303.70%
Banana (1kg)
$0.80 LKR 267
$1.85 ₽155
-56.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.28 LKR 1,417
$2.26 ₽189
89.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.29 LKR 427
$3.59 ₽300
-64.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.00 LKR 331
$0.89 ₽74.0
12.36%
Onion (1kg)
$0.77 LKR 256
$0.51 ₽42.80
50.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 LKR 296
$1.16 ₽96.9
-23.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 LKR 140
$0.80 ₽66.7
-47.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.30 LKR 3,413
$3.06 ₽256
236.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.90 LKR 4,274
$8.13 ₽679
58.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 LKR 633
$1.34 ₽112
42.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 LKR 969
$1.22 ₽102
140.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.19 LKR 63.9
$0.41 ₽33.95
-53.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.27 LKR 2,407
$42.00 ₽3,505
-82.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.41 LKR 135
$1.17 ₽98.0
-64.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 LKR 123
$0.24 ₽19.99
54.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 LKR 305
$4.97 ₽415
-81.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 LKR 445
$0.81 ₽67.3
65.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K LKR 12.0M
$27.9K ₽2.3M
30.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8K LKR 13.2M
$16.8K ₽1.4M
137.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.0 LKR 19.5K
$59.5 ₽4,964
-0.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.37 LKR 1,446
$5.93 ₽495
-26.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.37 LKR 6,748
$5.94 ₽496
242.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.72 LKR 4,545
$35.25 ₽2,942
-61.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.64 LKR 1,868
$18.10 ₽1,511
-68.84%
Cinema Ticket
$4.46 LKR 1,476
$6.58 ₽549
-32.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$38.30 LKR 12.7K
$235 ₽19.6K
-83.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,211 LKR 401.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.16 LKR 6,016
$42.49 ₽3,547
-57.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.76 LKR 5,550
$36.12 ₽3,014
-53.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.6 LKR 26.0K
$70.1 ₽5,851
12.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.33 LKR 14.0K
$120 ₽9,984
-64.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$578 LKR 191.3K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$277 LKR 91.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,495 LKR 495.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 LKR 143.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,668 LKR 1.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,167 LKR 386.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Colombo
Oryol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$259 LKR 85.9K
$703 ₽58.7K
-63.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.69
20
-36.55%

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

Last update for Colombo: October 11, 2026

Last update for Oryol: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Colombo
$277
Oryol
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Colombo
$236
Oryol
$193 18% $42
Eating Out
Colombo
$106
Oryol
$166 56.5% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colombo
$84
Oryol
$71 14.8% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Colombo
$70
Oryol
$121 72.2% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Colombo
$23
Oryol
$48 114% $26
Getting Around
Colombo
$10
Oryol
$46 347% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Oryol pays 171% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Colombo vs $45.00 in Oryol. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $193, with Oryol cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Colombo
🇷🇺 Oryol
🕒 Local time
15:38 3:38 PM
13:08 1:08 PM
2 h 30 min behind Colombo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
753,000
303,696
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Colombo Oryol 6,460 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Colombo
  • Oryol

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 Oryol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Colombo or Oryol?
Oryol wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oryol the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Colombo or in Oryol?
On paper, salaries run 171% lower in Oryol. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
Are groceries more expensive in Colombo or in Oryol?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Colombo and in Oryol?
Dining out is cheaper in Oryol – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Colombo or in Oryol?
At $645 in Oryol versus $805 in Colombo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Oryol but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Oryol the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Colombo or Oryol?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oryol delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $645 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oryol hard to pass up.
How safe is Colombo compared to Oryol?
Safety-wise, Colombo and Oryol are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oryol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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