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: $717 in Colombo versus $733 in Weligama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $912 in Weligama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,615 in Colombo versus $1,091 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

$4.13 LKR 1,376

$4.00 LKR 1,334

3.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,392

$13.21 LKR 4,404

90.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,735

$6.03 LKR 2,011

35.99%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 887

$2.71 LKR 904

-1.85%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$0.68 LKR 227

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.37 LKR 124

10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 797

$2.38 LKR 794

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,143

$3.28 LKR 1,094

4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 577

$1.65 LKR 549

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.34 LKR 113

55.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 275

$0.85 LKR 284

-2.35%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 743

$2.20 LKR 733

1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,675

$14.25 LKR 4,752

-1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,552

$4.71 LKR 1,572

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,673

$7.85 LKR 2,617

2.04%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,458

$7.56 LKR 2,522

-2.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 373

$0.75 LKR 250

49.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,945

$5.64 LKR 1,882

3.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 416

$1.20 LKR 399

4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 381

$1.15 LKR 382

-0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 473

$0.45 LKR 150

215.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 381

$1.14 LKR 379

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 198

$0.60 LKR 201

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,340

$10.00 LKR 3,334

0.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,245

$12.63 LKR 4,212

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 703

$2.01 LKR 670

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 991

$2.97 LKR 992

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,696

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.39 LKR 130

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.32 LKR 108

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.57 LKR 189

5.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 419

$1.20 LKR 401

5.00%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

1.37%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

-0.68%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.2K

$60.0 LKR 20.0K

0.90%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,424

$3.33 LKR 1,112

28.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,116

$14.84 LKR 4,950

3.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,932

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,372

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,092

$3.41 LKR 1,137

-3.81%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$36.21 LKR 12.1K

2.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 148.0K

$443 LKR 147.8K

0.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,054

$27.35 LKR 9,123

-0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,381

$19.25 LKR 6,419

-0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

$68.5 LKR 22.9K

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.8K

$39.51 LKR 13.2K

-3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 126.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.4K

$220 LKR 73.4K

-19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 312.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 120.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 396.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.5K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Weligama: June 1, 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 $257 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 ($717 vs $733 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 $1,100 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 $37.28 in Colombo versus $36.21 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 $717 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.