Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Tabriz Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Tabriz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $718 in Colombo versus $543 in Tabriz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $905 in Tabriz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $1,267 in Tabriz.

Living in Colombo is roughly 32% more expensive than in Tabriz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Tabriz 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$4.59 $4.59

-11.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,492

$19.61 $19.61

28.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$2.96 $2.96

190.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 $0.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 $1.27

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$1.20 $1.20

125.83%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$1.01 $1.01

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.95 $0.95

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$0.64 $0.64

165.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.53 $0.53

3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.91 $1.91

-53.93%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$1.21 $1.21

76.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,662

$3.42 $3.42

305.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$2.84 $2.84

68.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$9.71 $9.71

-16.68%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,570

$0.96 $0.96

696.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.47 $1.47

-27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,963

$1.21 $1.21

382.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$0.59 $0.59

111.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$0.54 $0.54

111.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$0.44 $0.44

209.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$0.57 $0.57

110.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.25 $0.25

124.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$2.18 $2.18

358.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,266

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.49 $0.49

-67.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

$20.11 $20.11

-75.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.31 $0.31

22.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.20 $0.20

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$3.89 $3.89

-84.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$0.74 $0.74

60.81%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$72.3K $72.3K

-62.41%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$56.4K $56.4K

-39.21%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$14.58 $14.58

308.78%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$2.13 $2.13

101.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,165

$5.74 $5.74

167.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$14.49 $14.49

2.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,484

$25.21 $25.21

-70.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,103

$1.74 $1.74

88.51%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$68.9 $68.9

-47.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$681 $681

-35.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,318

$16.46 $16.46

68.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,425

$12.64 $12.64

51.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$174 $174

-60.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$49.59 $49.59

-20.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$187 $187

96.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$196 $196

-12.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.1K

$861 $861

12.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.9K

$399 $399

-7.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$864 $864

315.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$855 $855

35.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$229 $229

9.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-25.23%

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

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tabriz: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $187 in Tabriz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 9% 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 $20.00 in Tabriz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $107 per month, with Tabriz 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 Tabriz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tabriz wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tabriz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Colombo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $368 in Colombo versus $187 in Tabriz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 141% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tabriz – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Tabriz 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 Tabriz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $543 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tabriz hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Tabriz 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 Tabriz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.