🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $704 in Da Nang versus $718 in Colombo.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Da Nang versus $1,153 in Colombo.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,458 in Da Nang versus $1,588 in Colombo.
🌍Living in Da Nang costs roughly 2% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Da Nang47% lower, Colombo46% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.93₫50.8K
$4.07LKR 1,366
-52.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.46₫511.5K
$25.28LKR 8,494
-23.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.65₫122.2K
$8.60LKR 2,891
-45.93%
Cappuccino
$1.61₫42.3K
$2.71LKR 909
-40.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51₫13.4K
$0.69LKR 232
-26.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29₫7,592
$0.40LKR 136
-27.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.07₫28.2K
$2.27LKR 764
-52.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59₫41.7K
$3.27LKR 1,099
-51.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38₫36.3K
$1.70LKR 571
-18.82%
White Bread(500g)
$0.95₫24.9K
$0.55LKR 185
72.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.17₫30.7K
$0.88LKR 295
32.95%
Eggs
$1.43₫37.5K
$2.14LKR 721
-33.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.59₫331.0K
$13.88LKR 4,663
-9.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.64₫95.8K
$4.78LKR 1,606
-23.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.79₫257.3K
$8.09LKR 2,717
21.01%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76₫72.4K
$7.65LKR 2,571
-63.92%
Banana(1kg)
$0.94₫24.8K
$1.07LKR 359
-12.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.12₫29.4K
$5.84LKR 1,964
-80.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.05₫27.6K
$1.25LKR 421
-16.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.10₫28.9K
$1.14LKR 384
-3.51%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19₫31.4K
$1.36LKR 458
-12.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.00₫26.3K
$1.20LKR 403
-16.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48₫12.7K
$0.56LKR 190
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.38₫36.3K
$9.99LKR 3,358
-86.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.52₫197.7K
$12.70LKR 4,267
-40.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.81₫21.4K
$2.09LKR 702
-61.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60₫42.1K
$2.90LKR 974
-44.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32₫8,321
$0.16LKR 54.7
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$3.73₫98.2K
$4.93LKR 1,657
-24.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.82₫21.5K
$0.38LKR 129
115.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.69₫18.3K
$0.35LKR 119
97.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$12.03₫316.4K
$0.62LKR 207
1840.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.91₫24.0K
$1.19LKR 401
-23.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K₫715.1M
$27.2KLKR 9.1M
0.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K₫739.2M
$34.3KLKR 11.5M
-17.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$74.1₫1.9M
$59.6LKR 20.0K
24.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.97₫157.0K
$4.30LKR 1,444
38.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.07₫212.3K
$15.37LKR 5,166
-47.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.06₫527.5K
$14.83LKR 4,984
35.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.52₫197.6K
$7.39LKR 2,485
1.76%
Cinema Ticket
$3.00₫78.9K
$3.28LKR 1,104
-8.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$153₫4.0M
$36.45LKR 12.2K
320.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.8K₫336.9M
$442LKR 148.5K
2799.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.61₫1.0M
$27.73LKR 9,320
42.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.60₫673.1K
$19.12LKR 6,426
33.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$52.7₫1.4M
$69.2LKR 23.2K
-23.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.9₫2.0M
$39.30LKR 13.2K
95.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$365₫9.6M
$368LKR 123.6K
-0.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$244₫6.4M
$173LKR 58.0K
41.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$732₫19.2M
$971LKR 326.2K
-24.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$458₫12.0M
$369LKR 124.0K
24.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,767₫99.0M
$3,586LKR 1.2M
5.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,304₫34.3M
$1,156LKR 388.5K
12.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Da Nang
Colombo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$359₫9.4M
$251LKR 84.2K
43.27%
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: July 14, 2026
Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Da Nang and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Da Nang pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Da Nang vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $258 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
Which city is more expensive, Da Nang or Colombo?
Da Nang wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Da Nang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Da Nang or in Colombo?
Average pay runs 43% higher in Da Nang, 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 compared to Colombo?
Rent for a central apartment: $365 in Da Nang versus $368 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Da Nang or in Colombo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Da Nang and in Colombo?
Dining out is cheaper in Da Nang – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Da Nang or in Colombo?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Da Nang 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 Da Nang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Da Nang 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Da Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.