Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Ragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Ragama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $710 in Colombo versus $526 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in Colombo versus $851 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,587 in Colombo versus $1,177 in Ragama.

Living in Colombo is roughly 35% more expensive than Ragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 47% lower, Ragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 LKR 1,299

$3.92 LKR 1,240

4.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.62 LKR 7,792

$25.21 LKR 7,978

-2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 LKR 2,627

$8.54 LKR 2,703

-2.81%

Cappuccino

$2.70 LKR 856

$2.73 LKR 865

-1.10%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.74 LKR 233

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 117

$0.40 LKR 127

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 725

$2.32 LKR 734

-1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$3.26 LKR 1,032

3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LKR 535

$1.58 LKR 501

6.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 166

$0.53 LKR 168

-1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 258

$0.75 LKR 238

9.33%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 679

$2.19 LKR 694

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 LKR 4,498

$14.03 LKR 4,441

1.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,465

$4.64 LKR 1,468

-0.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 LKR 2,470

$7.93 LKR 2,509

-1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 LKR 2,405

$7.69 LKR 2,433

-1.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 349

$1.07 LKR 340

2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 LKR 1,886

$5.69 LKR 1,801

4.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 379

$1.26 LKR 399

-4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 349

$1.11 LKR 351

-0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 452

$1.18 LKR 375

21.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 374

$1.16 LKR 367

1.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 176

$0.61 LKR 192

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,134

$10.10 LKR 3,198

-1.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 LKR 3,982

$12.87 LKR 4,073

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 658

$2.00 LKR 632

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 LKR 946

$2.96 LKR 936

1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 49.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,559

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 122

$0.39 LKR 123

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.35 LKR 111

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 190

$0.56 LKR 178

7.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 396

$1.26 LKR 400

-0.79%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.3M

$27.3K LKR 8.6M

-3.35%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.8M

$34.7K LKR 11.0M

-1.54%

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

$59.3 LKR 18.8K

$59.0 LKR 18.7K

0.54%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,359

$4.43 LKR 1,404

-3.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,737

$15.40 LKR 4,875

-2.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.33 LKR 4,537

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.29 LKR 2,308

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,076

$3.45 LKR 1,091

-1.45%

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

$36.52 LKR 11.6K

$37.37 LKR 11.8K

-2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 141.3K

$440 LKR 139.4K

1.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.17 LKR 8,600

$27.22 LKR 8,616

-0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.16 LKR 6,065

$19.32 LKR 6,116

-0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 22.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.86 LKR 12.3K

$39.05 LKR 12.4K

-0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 LKR 119.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 LKR 55.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 LKR 303.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 LKR 112.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,614 LKR 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 LKR 389.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 79.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Colombo: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ragama: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Colombo and $0 in Ragama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25 in Colombo vs $25 in Ragama. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $255, with Ragama 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ragama wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ragama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,065 in Colombo and $789 in Ragama 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 $36.52 in Colombo versus $37.37 in Ragama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ragama – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Ragama 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 Ragama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $526 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ragama hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ragama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.