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: $771 in Colombo versus $415 in Tabriz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Colombo versus $693 in Tabriz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $971 in Tabriz.

Living in Colombo is roughly 86% more expensive than in Tabriz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 44% lower, Tabriz 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 LKR 1,480

$2.97 $2.97

51.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.96 LKR 8,517

$14.88 $14.88

74.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 LKR 2,557

$4.07 $4.07

91.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 $1.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 810

$1.35 $1.35

82.96%

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

$0.70 LKR 228

$0.58 $0.58

20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.62 $0.62

-59.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 734

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 535

$0.60 $0.60

171.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$0.35 $0.35

62.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$3.80 $3.80

-78.95%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$0.85 $0.85

94.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 LKR 4,292

$4.64 $4.64

181.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 LKR 1,627

$2.94 $2.94

68.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 LKR 2,384

$9.33 $9.33

-22.08%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 LKR 2,218

$0.94 $0.94

619.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 272

$1.32 $1.32

-37.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 LKR 1,369

$0.81 $0.81

414.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 423

$0.53 $0.53

143.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 343

$0.54 $0.54

94.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$0.54 $0.54

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.42 $0.42

109.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 159

$0.22 $0.22

122.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.61 $0.61

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 $0.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,361

$2.12 $2.12

383.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 LKR 4,584

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 621

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 911

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 56.5

$0.10 $0.10

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,425

$12.37 $12.37

-40.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$0.45 $0.45

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.17 $0.17

111.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$3.91 $3.91

-77.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 435

$0.08 $0.08

1562.50%

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

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

$73.6K $73.6K

-58.75%

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

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

$52.9K $52.9K

-21.08%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

$14.57 $14.57

276.60%

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

$4.13 LKR 1,354

$1.97 $1.97

109.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 LKR 6,838

$5.64 $5.64

269.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.29 LKR 4,687

$14.63 $14.63

-2.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,858

$25.27 $25.27

-77.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 LKR 1,419

$1.54 $1.54

181.17%

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

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

$58.9 $58.9

-36.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 LKR 401.1K

$544 $544

124.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.78 LKR 6,487

$15.57 $15.57

27.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.93 LKR 5,555

$10.77 $10.77

57.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

$76.0 $76.0

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

$48.11 $48.11

-12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 179.5K

$150 $150

263.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 LKR 81.2K

$121 $121

103.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

$369 $369

326.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LKR 132.3K

$247 $247

63.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

$885 $885

326.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

$842 $842

42.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.0K

$235 $235

6.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

22.5

-43.60%

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

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tabriz: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Colombo and $150 in Tabriz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 6% 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 $15.00 in Tabriz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $110 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 86% 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 6% 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: $547 in Colombo versus $150 in Tabriz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 115% 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 $15.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $415 in Tabriz versus $771 in Colombo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tabriz but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Tabriz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tabriz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $415 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 86% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.