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: $734 in Colombo versus $887 in Penza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Colombo versus $1,299 in Penza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,600 in Colombo versus $1,710 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 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 LKR 1,321

$7.61 ₽552

-47.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.86 LKR 8,280

$33.18 ₽2,405

-25.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,706

$5.59 ₽405

45.26%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 874

$1.16 ₽84.2

125.86%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$0.88 ₽63.7

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.62 ₽44.62

-35.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 LKR 785

$1.16 ₽84.1

103.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 LKR 1,097

$2.30 ₽167

43.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 573

$1.19 ₽86.2

44.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.78 ₽56.6

-28.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 290

$1.61 ₽117

-45.96%

Eggs

$2.20 LKR 732

$1.81 ₽131

21.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.23 LKR 4,739

$10.36 ₽751

37.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 LKR 1,527

$3.94 ₽285

16.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,623

$8.69 ₽629

-9.32%

Apples (1kg)

$7.62 LKR 2,538

$1.16 ₽83.8

556.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 355

$1.86 ₽135

-42.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,910

$1.77 ₽128

224.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 420

$2.85 ₽206

-55.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 381

$0.49 ₽35.72

132.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 LKR 451

$0.53 ₽38.70

154.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 399

$1.84 ₽134

-34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.72 ₽52.4

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 LKR 3,387

$3.02 ₽219

236.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 LKR 4,204

$10.32 ₽748

22.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 693

$1.03 ₽74.4

101.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 994

$1.86 ₽135

60.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 61.7

$0.45 ₽32.72

-57.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.99 LKR 1,662

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$1.86 ₽135

-77.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$0.59 ₽42.99

-38.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 201

$4.32 ₽313

-86.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 400

$0.75 ₽54.5

60.00%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

$33.9K ₽2.5M

-19.33%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$36.1K ₽2.6M

-2.54%

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

$60.9 LKR 20.3K

$110 ₽7,977

-44.66%

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

$4.40 LKR 1,467

$5.80 ₽420

-24.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,010

$7.63 ₽553

97.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.47 LKR 4,818

$31.29 ₽2,267

-53.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 LKR 2,370

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 LKR 1,128

$3.70 ₽268

-8.38%

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

$37.30 LKR 12.4K

$328 ₽23.8K

-88.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 145.0K

$7,037 ₽509.9K

-93.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.64 LKR 9,205

$70.4 ₽5,100

-60.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.42 LKR 6,466

$44.85 ₽3,250

-56.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 LKR 22.9K

$116 ₽8,416

-40.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.17 LKR 13.0K

$109 ₽7,898

-64.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 LKR 123.1K

$441 ₽31.9K

-16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 57.7K

$256 ₽18.6K

-32.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 LKR 318.1K

$772 ₽55.9K

23.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 LKR 120.9K

$358 ₽25.9K

1.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,656 LKR 1.2M

$2,591 ₽187.7K

41.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 LKR 383.4K

$1,222 ₽88.5K

-5.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 LKR 82.5K

$667 ₽48.3K

-62.86%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Penza: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Colombo and $441 in Penza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penza pays 169% 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 $197, 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 21% 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 169% 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: $370 in Colombo versus $441 in Penza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.30 in Colombo versus $328 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 $734 in Colombo versus $887 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 $734 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 21% less than in Penza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.