Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Penza Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Penza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $727 in Colombo versus $884 in Penza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,162 in Colombo versus $1,327 in Penza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Colombo versus $1,770 in Penza.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 18% less than in Penza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Penza 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,318

$7.37 ₽587

-46.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 LKR 8,349

$32.74 ₽2,606

-24.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 LKR 2,839

$5.74 ₽457

47.39%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 920

$1.12 ₽88.8

144.64%

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

$0.75 LKR 250

$0.92 ₽73.2

-18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.61 ₽48.73

-34.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 777

$1.16 ₽92.1

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,098

$2.26 ₽180

44.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 596

$1.25 ₽99.1

42.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.73 ₽58.0

-23.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 293

$1.67 ₽133

-47.90%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 733

$1.82 ₽145

19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,694

$10.28 ₽818

36.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,582

$4.04 ₽322

16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 LKR 2,755

$8.60 ₽685

-4.53%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,495

$1.20 ₽95.4

519.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 356

$1.78 ₽142

-40.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,923

$1.79 ₽143

220.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 423

$2.88 ₽229

-56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$0.46 ₽36.78

141.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 476

$0.53 ₽42.21

167.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$1.87 ₽149

-37.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.72 ₽57.3

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 LKR 3,381

$2.99 ₽238

236.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,254

$9.41 ₽749

34.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 696

$0.95 ₽75.6

118.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 997

$1.85 ₽147

60.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.2

$0.43 ₽34.01

-62.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,702

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$1.93 ₽154

-78.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.55 ₽43.79

-41.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$4.37 ₽348

-86.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$0.75 ₽59.5

61.33%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

$34.8K ₽2.8M

-24.10%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$35.6K ₽2.8M

-0.63%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

$108 ₽8,576

-44.58%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,441

$5.84 ₽465

-26.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,045

$8.02 ₽638

87.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,929

$31.20 ₽2,483

-52.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,441

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,157

$3.74 ₽298

-7.75%

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

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

$318 ₽25.3K

-88.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.2K

$6,936 ₽552.0K

-93.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 9,097

$70.8 ₽5,637

-61.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 LKR 6,478

$43.73 ₽3,480

-55.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

$116 ₽9,267

-39.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.2K

$108 ₽8,558

-63.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.5K

$443 ₽35.3K

-16.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

$253 ₽20.1K

-29.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.4K

$789 ₽62.8K

19.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.8K

$361 ₽28.7K

2.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

$2,440 ₽194.2K

48.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.9K

$1,162 ₽92.5K

1.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.9K

$609 ₽48.5K

-59.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

105.62%

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

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Penza: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $443 in Penza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penza pays 150% 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 $33.00 in Penza. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $195, with Penza 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 Penza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Penza. 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 150% lower in Penza. 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 $443 in Penza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.16 in Colombo versus $318 in Penza. 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 $33.00 in Penza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $727 in Colombo versus $884 in Penza, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Penza. 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 $727 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Penza 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 22% less than in Penza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.