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: $718 in Colombo versus $725 in Sousse.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $1,179 in Sousse.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $1,632 in Sousse.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 1% less than in Sousse, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Sousse 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$4.01 TND 11.74

1.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,494

$23.39 TND 68.4

8.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$5.17 TND 15.11

66.34%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$0.89 TND 2.61

204.49%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$0.67 TND 1.95

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.31 TND 0.91

29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$1.16 TND 3.38

95.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$1.56 TND 4.57

109.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$0.49 TND 1.44

246.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.17 TND 0.49

223.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.32 TND 3.86

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$1.69 TND 4.94

26.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,663

$12.23 TND 35.77

13.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$5.60 TND 16.38

-14.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$13.91 TND 40.71

-41.84%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,571

$1.58 TND 4.62

384.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$3.22 TND 9.41

-66.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,964

$0.92 TND 2.69

534.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$0.63 TND 1.84

98.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$0.70 TND 2.04

62.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$0.59 TND 1.72

130.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$0.40 TND 1.18

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.32 TND 0.94

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$3.54 TND 10.36

182.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,267

$5.04 TND 14.74

151.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$1.18 TND 3.46

77.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$1.06 TND 3.10

173.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.31 TND 0.90

-48.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

$10.06 TND 29.43

-50.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.32 TND 0.93

18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.49 TND 1.43

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$6.00 TND 17.57

-89.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$0.82 TND 2.40

45.12%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$47.0K TND 137.6K

-42.20%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$36.8K TND 107.6K

-6.80%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$63.7 TND 186

-6.39%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$11.06 TND 32.38

-61.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,166

$18.22 TND 53.3

-15.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$26.64 TND 77.9

-44.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,485

$27.09 TND 79.3

-72.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,104

$6.41 TND 18.77

-48.83%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$106 TND 311

-65.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$3,225 TND 9,437

-86.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,320

$41.09 TND 120

-32.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,426

$60.3 TND 176

-68.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$153 TND 449

-54.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$84.5 TND 247

-53.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$240 TND 703

53.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$164 TND 480

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.2K

$435 TND 1,272

123.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 124.0K

$322 TND 942

14.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$1,006 TND 2,944

256.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$633 TND 1,853

82.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$382 TND 1,117

-34.38%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sousse: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $240 in Sousse. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sousse pays 52% 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 $23.00 in Sousse for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 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 1% 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 52% 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: $368 in Colombo versus $240 in Sousse. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sousse pay roughly 39% 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 $718 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 1% less than in Sousse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.