Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Sri Lanka

Name: Sri Lanka
Address: LK

For one person, living is cheaper in Sri Lanka: $691 a month against $2,889 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $26,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Dubai
Learn more

Dubai Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Sri Lanka
Learn more

Sri Lanka Living Index

Jump to prices

Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,889

/mo nomad

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$691

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: Dubai is 153% more expensive than Sri Lanka without rent, and 318% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Dubai is 158.2% more expensive than Sri Lanka without rent, and 287.8% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 AED 47.54

$2.94 LKR 978

340.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 AED 306

$21.13 LKR 7,026

293.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 AED 34.32

$7.33 LKR 2,436

27.56%

Cappuccino

$5.88 AED 21.59

$2.47 LKR 821

138.06%

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

$1.57 AED 5.77

$0.63 LKR 210

149.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 AED 3.47

$0.27 LKR 89.7

248.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.44 AED 49.37

$2.39 LKR 795

462.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.57 AED 49.84

$2.93 LKR 974

363.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 AED 6.83

$1.55 LKR 516

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 AED 5.73

$0.51 LKR 168

205.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 AED 9.68

$0.72 LKR 238

266.67%

Eggs

$3.53 AED 12.96

$1.56 LKR 520

126.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 AED 47.62

$13.50 LKR 4,490

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 AED 36.51

$4.48 LKR 1,490

121.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 AED 47.45

$7.45 LKR 2,479

73.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 AED 9.36

$5.64 LKR 1,876

-54.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 AED 7.54

$0.79 LKR 264

159.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.77

$3.83 LKR 1,274

-51.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.64

$1.22 LKR 405

26.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 AED 4.31

$0.90 LKR 301

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.76

$0.70 LKR 232

45.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.00 LKR 331

57.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 AED 2.46

$0.47 LKR 157

42.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 AED 23.17

$10.26 LKR 3,410

-38.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.16 AED 59.4

$12.81 LKR 4,261

26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 AED 9.48

$1.99 LKR 661

29.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 AED 10.60

$2.94 LKR 978

-1.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 AED 5.15

$0.18 LKR 60.2

677.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.4 AED 303

$8.16 LKR 2,712

910.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 AED 12.07

$0.38 LKR 125

765.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.40

$0.32 LKR 106

103.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 AED 29.84

$0.88 LKR 294

823.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 AED 3.68

$1.26 LKR 419

-20.63%

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

$26.3K AED 96.6K

$43.5K LKR 14.5M

-39.55%

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

$22.0K AED 81.0K

$43.8K LKR 14.6M

-49.62%

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

$239 AED 877

$59.9 LKR 19.9K

298.76%

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

$56.9 AED 209

$4.29 LKR 1,426

1225.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.9 AED 345

$16.96 LKR 5,640

453.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.8 AED 334

$15.40 LKR 5,119

489.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.38 AED 170

$5.92 LKR 1,970

683.45%

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 AED 59.6

$4.12 LKR 1,370

294.17%

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

$934 AED 3,429

$41.15 LKR 13.7K

2168.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K AED 76.8K

$16.0K LKR 5.3M

30.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 AED 260

$17.86 LKR 5,938

295.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 AED 225

$16.27 LKR 5,409

277.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 AED 377

$78.3 LKR 26.0K

31.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 AED 426

$42.87 LKR 14.3K

170.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 AED 9,134

$423 LKR 140.7K

487.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 AED 5,581

$185 LKR 61.4K

723.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,234 AED 19.2K

$1,334 LKR 443.4K

292.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,028 AED 11.1K

$429 LKR 142.6K

605.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,982 AED 25.6K

$3,743 LKR 1.2M

86.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,433 AED 16.3K

$1,138 LKR 378.4K

289.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,553 AED 13.0K

$225 LKR 74.7K

1480.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

12.72

-64.07%

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

Last update for Dubai: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sri Lanka: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dubai

$1.5K 52.6%

Sri Lanka

$185 26.7% 87.9% $1.3K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dubai

$390 13.5%

Sri Lanka

$81 11.7% 79.2% $308

Eating Out

Dubai

$307 10.6%

Sri Lanka

$97 14% 68.5% $210

Groceries & Markets

Dubai

$297 10.3%

Sri Lanka

$225 32.5% 24.4% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Dubai

$158 5.5%

Sri Lanka

$70 10.1% 55.7% $88

Sport & Entertainment

Dubai

$123 4.3%

Sri Lanka

$24 3.4% 80.8% $100

Getting Around

Dubai

$95 3.3%

Sri Lanka

$11 1.6% 88.5% $84

Good to know

🇦🇪 Dubai

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

🕒 Local time

12:52 12:52 PM

14:22 2:22 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Dubai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,790,000

21,444,000

💱 Currency

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.242 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to AED – UAE Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇪 UAE Dirham (د.إ)

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.12 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to AED in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dubai Sri Lanka 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dubai
Sri Lanka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

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