Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $771 in Colombo versus $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Colombo versus $1,086 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,454 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Living in Colombo is roughly 7% more expensive than in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 44% lower, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 LKR 1,480

$4.35 LKR 1,427

3.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.96 LKR 8,518

$24.79 LKR 8,133

4.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 LKR 2,558

$7.54 LKR 2,473

3.45%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 810

$2.51 LKR 823

-1.59%

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

$0.70 LKR 228

$0.68 LKR 224

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.25 LKR 81.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 734

$2.19 LKR 720

2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

$3.10 LKR 1,018

-0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 535

$1.31 LKR 430

24.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$0.57 LKR 186

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$0.69 LKR 227

15.94%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$1.60 LKR 524

3.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 LKR 4,293

$13.31 LKR 4,368

-1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 LKR 1,627

$4.38 LKR 1,438

13.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 LKR 2,384

$5.31 LKR 1,742

36.91%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 LKR 2,218

$6.25 LKR 2,050

8.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 272

$0.88 LKR 288

-5.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 LKR 1,369

$4.31 LKR 1,415

-3.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 423

$1.19 LKR 390

8.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 343

$0.93 LKR 306

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$0.75 LKR 246

8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.89 LKR 293

-1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 159

$0.49 LKR 160

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,362

$9.19 LKR 3,017

11.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 LKR 4,584

$12.48 LKR 4,093

11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 621

$1.92 LKR 630

-1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 911

$2.81 LKR 923

-1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 56.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,425

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$0.31 LKR 102

35.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.37 LKR 122

-2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$0.88 LKR 290

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 435

$1.16 LKR 379

14.66%

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

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

-1.86%

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

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-0.62%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

$45.15 LKR 14.8K

21.53%

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

$4.13 LKR 1,354

$4.29 LKR 1,408

-3.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 LKR 6,839

$12.22 LKR 4,009

70.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.29 LKR 4,688

$14.98 LKR 4,915

-4.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,859

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 LKR 1,419

$3.10 LKR 1,017

39.68%

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

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

$38.65 LKR 12.7K

-3.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 LKR 401.2K

$896 LKR 293.9K

36.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.78 LKR 6,488

$19.93 LKR 6,540

-0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.93 LKR 5,556

$16.57 LKR 5,438

2.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

$78.7 LKR 25.8K

0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

$41.75 LKR 13.7K

1.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 179.5K

$307 LKR 100.8K

78.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 LKR 81.2K

$228 LKR 74.8K

8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

$448 LKR 146.9K

251.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LKR 132.4K

$385 LKR 126.5K

4.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

$671 LKR 220.0K

462.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

$542 LKR 177.9K

121.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.0K

$309 LKR 101.4K

-19.07%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Colombo and $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Colombo vs $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $219 per month, with Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. 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 $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.34 in Colombo versus $38.65 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $771 in Colombo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $718 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.