Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Pasay Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Pasay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Colombo versus $910 in Pasay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Colombo versus $1,246 in Pasay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,581 in Pasay.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 13% less than in Pasay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 43% lower, Pasay 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 LKR 1,440

$4.50 ₱282

-2.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 LKR 8,464

$19.45 ₱1,219

32.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 LKR 2,499

$2.86 ₱179

165.73%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 804

$2.27 ₱142

7.93%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.60 ₱37.57

23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.32 ₱19.98

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 737

$1.16 ₱72.8

93.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 979

$1.62 ₱102

83.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.64 ₱103

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$1.13 ₱70.9

-53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$0.99 ₱62.0

-18.18%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 539

$1.88 ₱118

-12.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,332

$5.05 ₱316

160.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,663

$4.12 ₱258

22.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,347

$7.17 ₱450

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,198

$2.29 ₱144

192.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.57 ₱98.3

-43.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,429

$2.39 ₱150

82.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 425

$1.14 ₱71.2

13.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$2.38 ₱150

-57.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$3.36 ₱211

-76.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$1.25 ₱78.5

-24.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.84 ₱52.8

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,403

$3.03 ₱190

241.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 LKR 4,492

$7.48 ₱469

82.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 646

$0.99 ₱61.8

97.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 948

$1.76 ₱111

64.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 57.2

$0.20 ₱12.57

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.83 ₱52.3

-53.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.21 ₱13.14

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 312

$1.88 ₱118

-49.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.16 ₱72.6

15.52%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

42.32%

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

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

120.51%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

$142 ₱8,882

-60.93%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,333

$14.33 ₱898

-71.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 LKR 6,755

$25.48 ₱1,598

-19.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,827

$48.18 ₱3,021

-69.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 LKR 1,456

$5.04 ₱316

-12.10%

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

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

$73.1 ₱4,582

-46.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

$2,527 ₱158.4K

-52.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.17 LKR 6,626

$35.21 ₱2,208

-42.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,411

$19.80 ₱1,242

-16.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

$70.8 ₱4,439

14.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

$62.9 ₱3,946

-31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 LKR 182.2K

$432 ₱27.1K

28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 LKR 82.3K

$318 ₱19.9K

-21.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

$835 ₱52.4K

89.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 LKR 134.7K

$371 ₱23.2K

10.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

$1,876 ₱117.6K

98.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

$581 ₱36.4K

108.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 LKR 82.7K

$504 ₱31.6K

-50.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

81.29%

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

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pasay: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Colombo and $432 in Pasay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasay pays 100% 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: $26.00 in Colombo vs $19.00 in Pasay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $185 per month, with Pasay cheaper across the board.

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 Pasay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Pasay. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 100% lower in Pasay. 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: $554 in Colombo versus $432 in Pasay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.87 in Colombo versus $73.1 in Pasay. 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 $26.00 versus $19.00 in Pasay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $789 in Colombo versus $910 in Pasay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Pasay. The gap between the two cities makes Colombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $789 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Pasay 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 15% less than in Pasay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.