Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Weligama Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Weligama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $718 in Colombo versus $735 in Weligama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $929 in Weligama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $1,123 in Weligama.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 2% less than in Weligama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Weligama 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$3.96 LKR 1,331

2.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,492

$13.19 LKR 4,433

91.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$5.83 LKR 1,960

47.51%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$2.67 LKR 897

1.50%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$0.74 LKR 250

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.37 LKR 125

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$3.40 LKR 1,142

-3.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.71 LKR 573

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.34 LKR 115

61.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$0.82 LKR 275

7.32%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$2.14 LKR 720

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,662

$13.88 LKR 4,664

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$4.58 LKR 1,539

4.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$8.00 LKR 2,689

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,570

$7.60 LKR 2,555

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$0.79 LKR 266

35.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,963

$5.69 LKR 1,912

2.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$1.22 LKR 410

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$1.15 LKR 387

-0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$0.49 LKR 165

177.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.15 LKR 386

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.55 LKR 186

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,266

$12.75 LKR 4,283

-0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$2.08 LKR 698

0.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$2.96 LKR 994

-2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.42 LKR 140

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.33 LKR 110

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$0.57 LKR 192

8.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$1.25 LKR 421

-4.80%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

2.62%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-1.30%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

-1.73%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$3.33 LKR 1,119

29.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,165

$15.07 LKR 5,064

1.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,484

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,103

$3.32 LKR 1,116

-1.20%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$36.44 LKR 12.2K

0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$434 LKR 145.9K

1.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,318

$27.43 LKR 9,216

1.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,425

$19.76 LKR 6,639

-3.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$68.7 LKR 23.1K

0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$38.91 LKR 13.1K

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$220 LKR 74.0K

-21.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Weligama: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Colombo vs $13.00 in Weligama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $250 per month, with Weligama 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 Weligama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo and Weligama differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($718 vs $735 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,076 in Colombo and $1,102 in Weligama 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.

Childcare runs $36.45 in Colombo versus $36.44 in Weligama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $13.00 in Weligama. 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.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Weligama 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Weligama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.