Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Xiamen Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Xiamen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $733 in Colombo versus $782 in Xiamen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,265 in Xiamen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,598 in Colombo versus $1,748 in Xiamen.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 6% less than in Xiamen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Xiamen 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 LKR 1,302

$2.73 ¥18.73

49.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 7,894

$23.25 ¥159

6.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,591

$5.43 ¥37.21

49.54%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 874

$2.84 ¥19.44

-3.52%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.50 ¥3.43

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 129

$0.29 ¥1.97

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 726

$1.37 ¥9.40

66.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,047

$3.38 ¥23.16

-2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 559

$1.79 ¥12.24

-2.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 180

$2.06 ¥14.14

-72.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 261

$0.80 ¥5.50

2.50%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 677

$1.40 ¥9.56

51.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 LKR 4,529

$10.99 ¥75.3

29.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,496

$2.35 ¥16.11

99.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,515

$11.05 ¥75.7

-28.60%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,355

$2.35 ¥16.07

214.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$1.32 ¥9.06

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,812

$1.52 ¥10.41

273.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 389

$1.84 ¥12.57

-33.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 369

$0.91 ¥6.21

27.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 447

$1.72 ¥11.76

-18.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$0.88 ¥6.02

34.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 182

$0.55 ¥3.76

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,159

$2.73 ¥18.69

262.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 3,974

$10.95 ¥75.0

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 649

$0.78 ¥5.35

161.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 904

$1.65 ¥11.29

71.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.7

$0.20 ¥1.37

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,622

$11.13 ¥76.2

-54.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$1.37 ¥9.42

-71.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.26 ¥1.78

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 197

$6.80 ¥46.55

-90.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 381

$1.17 ¥8.04

1.71%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$16.8K ¥114.8K

62.66%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$17.2K ¥118.1K

98.32%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$39.51 ¥271

54.16%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,398

$9.98 ¥68.4

-56.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.01 LKR 4,788

$9.64 ¥66.1

55.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 LKR 4,682

$43.58 ¥299

-66.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,379

$9.87 ¥67.6

-24.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,096

$9.52 ¥65.2

-63.87%

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

$37.27 LKR 11.9K

$453 ¥3,104

-91.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 138.0K

$22.7K ¥155.3K

-98.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.07 LKR 8,951

$43.65 ¥299

-35.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,158

$26.95 ¥185

-28.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 22.5K

$85.4 ¥585

-17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$79.9 ¥547

-51.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 117.2K

$328 ¥2,249

11.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 57.0K

$252 ¥1,729

-29.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 LKR 309.3K

$849 ¥5,814

14.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 LKR 116.0K

$514 ¥3,518

-29.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

$9,027 ¥61.8K

-60.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 LKR 390.7K

$5,094 ¥34.9K

-75.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 LKR 76.7K

$1,134 ¥7,764

-78.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

3.56

362.08%

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

Last update for Colombo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $328 in Xiamen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Xiamen pays 371% 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 $23.00 in Xiamen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $205 per month, with Xiamen 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 Xiamen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Xiamen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Xiamen earns 371% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $368 in Colombo versus $328 in Xiamen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Xiamen pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $23.00 in Xiamen. 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 $733 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Xiamen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.