Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Sousse Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Sousse

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $771 in Colombo versus $791 in Sousse.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Colombo versus $1,259 in Sousse.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,728 in Sousse.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 2% less than in Sousse, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 44% lower, Sousse 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 LKR 1,480

$4.69 TND 13.56

-3.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.96 LKR 8,517

$24.29 TND 70.3

6.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 LKR 2,557

$6.19 TND 17.90

26.01%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 810

$1.06 TND 3.07

133.02%

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

$0.70 LKR 228

$0.77 TND 2.23

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.36 TND 1.05

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 734

$1.74 TND 5.03

28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

$1.70 TND 4.90

81.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 535

$0.48 TND 1.40

239.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$0.15 TND 0.43

280.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.30 TND 3.76

-38.46%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$1.64 TND 4.75

0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 LKR 4,292

$14.02 TND 40.54

-6.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 LKR 1,627

$5.80 TND 16.77

-14.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 LKR 2,384

$14.39 TND 41.61

-49.48%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 LKR 2,218

$1.92 TND 5.55

252.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 272

$3.84 TND 11.09

-78.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 LKR 1,369

$1.08 TND 3.13

286.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 423

$0.78 TND 2.24

65.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 343

$0.89 TND 2.57

17.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$0.75 TND 2.17

8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.43 TND 1.25

104.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 159

$0.33 TND 0.96

48.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,361

$3.73 TND 10.78

174.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 LKR 4,583

$5.17 TND 14.96

170.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 621

$0.99 TND 2.88

90.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 910

$1.19 TND 3.44

133.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 56.5

$0.35 TND 1.02

-51.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,425

$10.17 TND 29.42

-27.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$0.31 TND 0.91

35.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.66 TND 1.91

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$4.03 TND 11.64

-78.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 435

$0.85 TND 2.45

56.47%

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

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

$40.2K TND 116.4K

-24.56%

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

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

$37.7K TND 109.0K

10.69%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

$77.2 TND 223

-28.89%

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

$4.13 LKR 1,354

$12.94 TND 37.43

-68.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 LKR 6,838

$17.80 TND 51.5

17.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.29 LKR 4,687

$29.44 TND 85.1

-51.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,858

$27.74 TND 80.2

-79.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 LKR 1,419

$6.65 TND 19.22

-34.89%

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

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

$98.3 TND 284

-62.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 LKR 401.1K

$3,033 TND 8,773

-59.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.78 LKR 6,487

$46.89 TND 136

-57.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.93 LKR 5,555

$66.3 TND 192

-74.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

$154 TND 446

-48.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

$107 TND 310

-60.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 179.5K

$247 TND 713

121.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 LKR 81.2K

$167 TND 484

47.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

$535 TND 1,546

194.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LKR 132.3K

$349 TND 1,010

15.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

$997 TND 2,883

278.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

$641 TND 1,853

87.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.0K

$398 TND 1,151

-37.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.75%

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

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sousse: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Colombo and $247 in Sousse. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sousse pays 59% 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: $26.00 in Colombo vs $24.00 in Sousse for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $201 per month, with Sousse 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 Sousse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Sousse. 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 59% lower in Sousse. 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: $547 in Colombo versus $247 in Sousse. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sousse pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $24.00 in Sousse. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Colombo versus $791 in Sousse, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Sousse. 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 $771 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Sousse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.