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: $727 in Colombo versus $788 in Xiamen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,162 in Colombo versus $1,251 in Xiamen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Colombo versus $1,713 in Xiamen.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 8% less than in Xiamen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Xiamen 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,318

$2.72 ¥18.36

44.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 LKR 8,349

$22.61 ¥153

10.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 LKR 2,839

$5.70 ¥38.51

48.42%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 920

$2.72 ¥18.39

0.74%

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

$0.75 LKR 250

$0.48 ¥3.21

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.29 ¥1.95

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 777

$1.43 ¥9.65

62.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,098

$3.50 ¥23.62

-6.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 596

$1.79 ¥12.11

-0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 188

$2.18 ¥14.71

-74.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 293

$0.76 ¥5.12

14.47%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 733

$1.34 ¥9.05

62.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,694

$10.92 ¥73.7

28.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,582

$2.26 ¥15.26

108.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 LKR 2,755

$11.01 ¥74.3

-25.43%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,495

$2.43 ¥16.41

205.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 356

$1.32 ¥8.94

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,923

$1.51 ¥10.21

279.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.83 ¥12.38

-31.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$0.91 ¥6.18

21.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 476

$1.65 ¥11.16

-13.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.81 ¥5.43

43.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.50 ¥3.40

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 LKR 3,381

$2.80 ¥18.91

259.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,254

$11.14 ¥75.2

13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 696

$0.74 ¥5.00

181.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 997

$1.65 ¥11.16

80.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.2

$0.22 ¥1.49

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,702

$10.98 ¥74.1

-53.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$1.36 ¥9.15

-69.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.26 ¥1.75

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$6.64 ¥44.85

-91.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.18 ¥7.99

2.54%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

$16.7K ¥112.8K

57.86%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$17.5K ¥118.3K

101.95%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

$39.52 ¥267

51.11%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,441

$9.86 ¥66.5

-56.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,045

$9.97 ¥67.3

50.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,929

$44.15 ¥298

-66.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,441

$9.70 ¥65.5

-25.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,157

$9.55 ¥64.5

-63.87%

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

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

$465 ¥3,138

-92.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.2K

$21.9K ¥148.1K

-97.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 9,097

$43.26 ¥292

-37.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 LKR 6,478

$26.48 ¥179

-27.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

$86.2 ¥582

-18.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.2K

$80.0 ¥540

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.5K

$325 ¥2,193

13.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

$248 ¥1,671

-27.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.4K

$863 ¥5,823

8.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.8K

$506 ¥3,417

-27.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

$8,515 ¥57.5K

-57.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.9K

$4,685 ¥31.6K

-74.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.9K

$1,121 ¥7,565

-78.21%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $325 in Xiamen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Xiamen pays 359% 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 $258 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 8% 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, salaries run 359% lower in Xiamen. 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 $325 in Xiamen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Xiamen pay roughly 26% 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 $727 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 8% less than in Xiamen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.