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: $733 in Colombo versus $879 in Penza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,314 in Penza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,598 in Colombo versus $1,749 in Penza.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 17% 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

$4.08 LKR 1,302

$7.61 ₽572

-46.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 7,894

$32.21 ₽2,419

-23.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,591

$5.83 ₽438

39.28%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 874

$1.15 ₽86.7

138.26%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.90 ₽67.9

-24.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 129

$0.65 ₽48.79

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 726

$1.11 ₽83.3

105.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,047

$2.29 ₽172

43.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 559

$1.24 ₽93.2

41.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 180

$0.72 ₽54.3

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 261

$1.63 ₽123

-49.69%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 677

$1.79 ₽134

18.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 LKR 4,529

$10.31 ₽775

37.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,496

$4.16 ₽312

12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,515

$9.08 ₽682

-13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,355

$1.21 ₽91.0

510.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$1.85 ₽139

-42.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,812

$1.78 ₽133

219.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 389

$2.97 ₽223

-58.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 369

$0.46 ₽34.86

152.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 447

$0.53 ₽39.86

164.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$1.94 ₽146

-39.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 182

$0.72 ₽54.0

-20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,159

$2.89 ₽217

242.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 3,974

$10.08 ₽757

23.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 649

$1.00 ₽74.7

104.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 904

$1.93 ₽145

46.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.7

$0.45 ₽33.98

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$1.91 ₽144

-79.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.54 ₽40.82

-35.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 197

$4.48 ₽336

-86.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 381

$0.75 ₽56.0

58.67%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$34.3K ₽2.6M

-20.45%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$36.2K ₽2.7M

-5.44%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$110 ₽8,270

-44.68%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,398

$6.00 ₽450

-27.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.01 LKR 4,788

$7.60 ₽571

97.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 LKR 4,682

$31.89 ₽2,395

-53.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,379

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,096

$3.84 ₽288

-10.42%

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

$37.27 LKR 11.9K

$326 ₽24.5K

-88.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 138.0K

$6,869 ₽515.9K

-93.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.07 LKR 8,951

$71.1 ₽5,341

-60.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,158

$45.04 ₽3,383

-57.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 22.5K

$112 ₽8,445

-37.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$108 ₽8,135

-64.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 117.2K

$444 ₽33.3K

-17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 57.0K

$258 ₽19.4K

-30.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 LKR 309.3K

$802 ₽60.2K

20.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 LKR 116.0K

$352 ₽26.4K

3.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

$2,536 ₽190.5K

41.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 LKR 390.7K

$1,179 ₽88.6K

3.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 LKR 76.7K

$639 ₽48.0K

-62.36%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Penza: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $444 in Penza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penza pays 166% 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 $32.00 in Penza. Groceries flip the comparison at $255 vs $199, 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 20% 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, Penza earns 166% 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 $444 in Penza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.27 in Colombo versus $326 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 $32.00 in Penza. 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 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 20% less than in Penza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.