Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Wattala Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Wattala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $771 in Colombo versus $590 in Wattala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Colombo versus $973 in Wattala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,355 in Wattala.

Living in Colombo is roughly 31% more expensive than in Wattala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 44% lower, Wattala 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 LKR 1,480

$4.36 LKR 1,429

3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.96 LKR 8,518

$25.60 LKR 8,399

1.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 LKR 2,558

$7.77 LKR 2,549

0.39%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 810

$2.57 LKR 843

-3.89%

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

$0.70 LKR 228

$0.74 LKR 244

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.27 LKR 88.9

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 734

$2.23 LKR 732

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

$3.11 LKR 1,019

-0.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 535

$1.56 LKR 511

4.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$0.57 LKR 188

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$0.79 LKR 260

1.27%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$1.64 LKR 539

0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 LKR 4,293

$13.01 LKR 4,269

0.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 LKR 1,627

$5.15 LKR 1,690

-3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 LKR 2,384

$7.37 LKR 2,417

-1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 LKR 2,218

$6.88 LKR 2,257

-1.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 272

$0.87 LKR 287

-4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 LKR 1,369

$4.22 LKR 1,384

-1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 423

$1.29 LKR 422

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 343

$1.04 LKR 342

0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$0.79 LKR 260

2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.96 LKR 316

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 159

$0.48 LKR 158

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,362

$10.53 LKR 3,455

-2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 LKR 4,584

$13.81 LKR 4,530

1.16%

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

$2.82 LKR 925

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 56.5

$0.22 LKR 72.3

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,425

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$0.42 LKR 137

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.32 LKR 106

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$0.94 LKR 308

-6.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 435

$1.20 LKR 392

10.83%

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

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

-2.20%

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

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-2.18%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

$55.2 LKR 18.1K

-0.56%

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

$4.13 LKR 1,354

$4.21 LKR 1,381

-1.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 LKR 6,839

$20.59 LKR 6,754

1.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.29 LKR 4,688

$13.57 LKR 4,452

5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,859

$4.54 LKR 1,488

24.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 LKR 1,419

$3.09 LKR 1,015

40.13%

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

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

$37.33 LKR 12.2K

0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 LKR 401.2K

$1,220 LKR 400.3K

0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.78 LKR 6,488

$19.95 LKR 6,544

-0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.93 LKR 5,556

$16.82 LKR 5,518

0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

$78.2 LKR 25.6K

1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

$42.84 LKR 14.1K

-1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 179.5K

$105 LKR 34.6K

419.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 LKR 81.2K

$60.0 LKR 19.7K

312.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

$246 LKR 80.7K

540.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LKR 132.4K

$179 LKR 58.8K

125.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.0K

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 Wattala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Colombo and $105 in Wattala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Colombo vs $26.00 in Wattala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $238 per month, with Colombo 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 Wattala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wattala wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Wattala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,156 in Colombo and $886 in Wattala to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $547 in Colombo versus $105 in Wattala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.34 in Colombo versus $37.33 in Wattala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $590 in Wattala versus $771 in Colombo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wattala but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Wattala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Wattala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $590 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Wattala hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Wattala 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 Wattala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.