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: $710 in Colombo versus $728 in Sousse.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,161 in Colombo versus $1,171 in Sousse.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,612 in Colombo versus $1,613 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 47% lower, Sousse 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,242

$4.01 TND 11.56

-2.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.89 LKR 7,861

$23.40 TND 67.4

6.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,717

$5.10 TND 14.68

68.63%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 831

$0.90 TND 2.60

192.22%

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

$0.69 LKR 219

$0.65 TND 1.87

6.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 127

$0.29 TND 0.83

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 718

$1.20 TND 3.47

89.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 LKR 1,067

$1.58 TND 4.55

113.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LKR 560

$0.50 TND 1.43

254.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 179

$0.18 TND 0.51

216.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 262

$1.32 TND 3.80

-37.12%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 669

$1.71 TND 4.93

23.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 LKR 4,375

$12.34 TND 35.54

12.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,464

$5.67 TND 16.32

-18.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 LKR 2,519

$13.91 TND 40.06

-42.63%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,333

$1.58 TND 4.54

367.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 354

$3.07 TND 8.85

-63.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 LKR 1,785

$0.97 TND 2.80

482.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 381

$0.58 TND 1.66

108.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 362

$0.67 TND 1.92

71.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 444

$0.63 TND 1.82

123.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 374

$0.40 TND 1.15

195.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 191

$0.30 TND 0.86

103.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 LKR 3,217

$3.58 TND 10.32

184.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 LKR 4,065

$5.34 TND 15.37

141.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 656

$1.14 TND 3.28

82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 926

$1.08 TND 3.12

171.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 58.7

$0.31 TND 0.89

-38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,557

$10.24 TND 29.50

-51.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 121

$0.34 TND 0.99

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.49 TND 1.41

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 194

$6.08 TND 17.50

-89.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 385

$0.89 TND 2.58

37.08%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.5M

$46.6K TND 134.3K

-42.42%

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

$34.6K LKR 10.9M

$36.6K TND 105.4K

-5.41%

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

$60.1 LKR 19.0K

$64.8 TND 187

-7.27%

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

$4.36 LKR 1,377

$10.93 TND 31.47

-60.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.10 LKR 4,768

$18.30 TND 52.7

-17.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.30 LKR 4,518

$27.01 TND 77.8

-47.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.38 LKR 2,332

$26.81 TND 77.2

-72.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.34 LKR 1,054

$6.33 TND 18.24

-47.24%

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

$36.76 LKR 11.6K

$104 TND 301

-64.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 140.7K

$3,187 TND 9,178

-86.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.84 LKR 8,792

$42.16 TND 121

-33.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.75 LKR 6,238

$61.6 TND 177

-67.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 LKR 21.6K

$150 TND 432

-54.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.76 LKR 12.2K

$82.0 TND 236

-52.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 LKR 119.4K

$248 TND 715

52.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 LKR 55.3K

$163 TND 470

7.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 LKR 305.9K

$431 TND 1,242

124.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 115.6K

$329 TND 946

11.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,718 LKR 1.2M

$1,007 TND 2,901

269.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,230 LKR 388.4K

$655 TND 1,886

87.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$242 LKR 76.4K

$390 TND 1,123

-37.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

37.08%

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

Last update for Colombo: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sousse: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Colombo and $248 in Sousse. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sousse pays 61% 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 in Colombo vs $23 in Sousse for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $186 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, Sousse earns 61% 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: $378 in Colombo versus $248 in Sousse. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sousse pay roughly 38% 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 $25.00 versus $23.00 in Sousse. 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 $710 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.