😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in Da Nang versus $717 in Colombo.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,104 in Da Nang versus $1,166 in Colombo.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,488 in Da Nang versus $1,615 in Colombo.
😐Monthly costs are close between Da Nang and Colombo; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Da Nang46% lower, Colombo46% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.97₫51.8K
$4.13LKR 1,381
-52.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.92₫497.2K
$25.16LKR 8,420
-24.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.60₫120.8K
$8.20LKR 2,744
-43.90%
Cappuccino
$1.63₫42.9K
$2.66LKR 890
-38.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50₫13.1K
$0.68LKR 226
-26.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29₫7,495
$0.41LKR 136
-29.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.02₫26.9K
$2.39LKR 800
-57.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60₫42.0K
$3.43LKR 1,146
-53.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43₫37.5K
$1.73LKR 579
-17.34%
White Bread(500g)
$1.02₫26.9K
$0.53LKR 176
92.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.15₫30.3K
$0.83LKR 276
38.55%
Eggs
$1.42₫37.4K
$2.23LKR 746
-36.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.25₫321.8K
$14.02LKR 4,690
-12.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63₫95.5K
$4.65LKR 1,557
-21.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.13₫266.3K
$8.01LKR 2,681
26.47%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75₫72.2K
$7.37LKR 2,466
-62.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.00₫26.2K
$1.12LKR 375
-10.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.09₫28.6K
$5.83LKR 1,952
-81.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.07₫28.1K
$1.25LKR 417
-14.40%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13₫29.8K
$1.14LKR 382
-0.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.15₫30.2K
$1.42LKR 475
-19.01%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04₫27.4K
$1.14LKR 382
-8.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48₫12.6K
$0.59LKR 198
-18.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.36₫35.7K
$10.01LKR 3,351
-86.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.71₫202.5K
$12.73LKR 4,259
-39.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.86₫22.7K
$2.11LKR 706
-59.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66₫43.7K
$2.97LKR 994
-44.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32₫8,325
$0.14LKR 48.45
128.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$3.92₫103.0K
$5.09LKR 1,702
-22.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.90₫23.6K
$0.38LKR 129
136.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.69₫18.0K
$0.33LKR 110
109.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.67₫306.7K
$0.60LKR 201
1845.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.89₫23.4K
$1.26LKR 420
-29.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K₫705.1M
$26.8KLKR 9.0M
0.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K₫738.4M
$35.2KLKR 11.8M
-20.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$74.3₫2.0M
$60.5LKR 20.2K
22.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.71₫150.1K
$4.27LKR 1,429
33.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.07₫212.1K
$15.34LKR 5,133
-47.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.37₫535.3K
$14.79LKR 4,948
37.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.65₫201.0K
$7.11LKR 2,380
7.59%
Cinema Ticket
$3.11₫81.6K
$3.28LKR 1,096
-5.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$156₫4.1M
$37.28LKR 12.5K
317.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.7K₫333.9M
$444LKR 148.5K
2763.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.62₫1.0M
$27.15LKR 9,084
42.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.00₫683.1K
$19.13LKR 6,402
35.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$52.7₫1.4M
$70.7LKR 23.7K
-25.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.8₫2.0M
$38.24LKR 12.8K
98.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$360₫9.5M
$379LKR 126.9K
-5.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$249₫6.5M
$178LKR 59.6K
39.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$727₫19.1M
$937LKR 313.6K
-22.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$459₫12.0M
$361LKR 120.7K
27.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,870₫101.7M
$3,724LKR 1.2M
3.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,283₫33.7M
$1,189LKR 397.7K
7.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$353₫9.3M
$247LKR 82.8K
42.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.67
16.45
-35.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026
Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Da Nang and $379 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Da Nang pays 43% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Da Nang vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $257 per month, with Da Nang 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
Da Nang vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Are salaries higher in Da Nang or Colombo?
Da Nang pays 43% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Da Nang vs Colombo?
Rent for a central apartment: $360 in Da Nang versus $379 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Da Nang and Colombo?
Childcare runs $156 in Da Nang versus $37.28 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Da Nang vs Colombo?
Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $19.00 in Da Nang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Da Nang or Colombo?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Da Nang or Colombo?
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.
How safe is Da Nang compared to Colombo?
Safety-wise, Da Nang and Colombo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Should I move to Da Nang or Colombo?
It comes down to priorities – Colombo wins on affordability, Da Nang on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.