Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Polonnaruwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Polonnaruwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Colombo versus $500 in Polonnaruwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,206 in Colombo versus $830 in Polonnaruwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,607 in Colombo versus $1,161 in Polonnaruwa.

Living in Colombo is roughly 61% more expensive than in Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 41% lower, Polonnaruwa 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 LKR 1,442

$4.29 LKR 1,418

1.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 LKR 8,478

$25.83 LKR 8,542

-0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 LKR 2,482

$7.83 LKR 2,588

-4.09%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 851

$2.47 LKR 816

4.05%

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

$0.69 LKR 228

$0.73 LKR 241

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.6

$0.25 LKR 82.6

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 LKR 738

$2.19 LKR 724

1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 LKR 1,014

$3.10 LKR 1,024

-0.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 LKR 534

$1.56 LKR 516

3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 189

$0.53 LKR 175

7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 259

$0.81 LKR 267

-3.70%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 545

$1.64 LKR 543

0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 LKR 4,321

$13.05 LKR 4,315

0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 LKR 1,669

$5.12 LKR 1,694

-1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 LKR 2,355

$7.39 LKR 2,444

-3.65%

Apples (1kg)

$6.96 LKR 2,303

$6.87 LKR 2,270

1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

$0.88 LKR 292

-6.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,426

$4.20 LKR 1,389

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 407

$1.24 LKR 411

-0.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$1.01 LKR 335

-0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$0.76 LKR 252

6.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 309

$0.93 LKR 308

1.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.48 LKR 160

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 LKR 3,353

$10.43 LKR 3,447

-2.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 LKR 4,473

$13.76 LKR 4,550

-1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 632

$1.91 LKR 630

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 943

$2.83 LKR 937

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.05 LKR 2,332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.41 LKR 137

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.38 LKR 126

-2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$0.92 LKR 305

-4.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 446

$1.28 LKR 423

5.47%

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

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

19.64%

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

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

-2.57%

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

$55.6 LKR 18.4K

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

1.87%

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

$4.17 LKR 1,380

$4.09 LKR 1,351

1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 LKR 6,784

$21.14 LKR 6,990

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,858

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 LKR 1,924

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 LKR 1,501

$4.55 LKR 1,505

-0.22%

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

$38.14 LKR 12.6K

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

-1.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,226 LKR 405.5K

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.94 LKR 6,593

$20.29 LKR 6,710

-1.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.86 LKR 5,576

$16.85 LKR 5,570

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 LKR 26.6K

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.33 LKR 14.0K

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 LKR 198.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 LKR 88.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 LKR 491.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 LKR 142.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,735 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 LKR 394.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Colombo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Colombo vs $26.00 in Polonnaruwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $237 per month, with Colombo 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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polonnaruwa wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Polonnaruwa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,208 in Colombo and $750 in Polonnaruwa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $38.14 in Colombo versus $38.55 in Polonnaruwa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Polonnaruwa – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $500 in Polonnaruwa versus $805 in Colombo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Polonnaruwa but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Polonnaruwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Polonnaruwa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $500 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Polonnaruwa hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Polonnaruwa 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 Polonnaruwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.