Cost of Living Comparison Between Homagama and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Homagama and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $481 in Homagama versus $771 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $747 in Homagama versus $1,191 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,013 in Homagama versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Living in Homagama costs roughly 38% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Homagama 65% lower, Colombo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 LKR 1,423

$4.51 LKR 1,480

-3.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.27 LKR 7,963

$25.96 LKR 8,518

-6.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 LKR 2,461

$7.80 LKR 2,558

-3.85%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 803

$2.47 LKR 810

-0.81%

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

$0.69 LKR 225

$0.70 LKR 228

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.1

$0.25 LKR 81.8

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 744

$2.24 LKR 734

1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 LKR 1,014

$3.08 LKR 1,010

0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 LKR 306

$1.63 LKR 535

-42.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 185

$0.57 LKR 187

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.80 LKR 264

-33.75%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 538

$1.65 LKR 541

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 LKR 4,264

$13.08 LKR 4,293

-0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 LKR 1,051

$4.96 LKR 1,627

-35.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 LKR 2,490

$7.27 LKR 2,384

4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$6.59 LKR 2,161

$6.76 LKR 2,218

-2.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 292

$0.83 LKR 272

7.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 LKR 1,392

$4.17 LKR 1,369

1.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 406

$1.29 LKR 423

-3.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 331

$1.05 LKR 343

-3.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 247

$0.81 LKR 266

-7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.49 LKR 159

-2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.30 LKR 3,381

$10.25 LKR 3,362

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 LKR 4,052

$13.97 LKR 4,584

-11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 LKR 582

$1.89 LKR 621

-6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 692

$2.78 LKR 911

-24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.17 LKR 56.5

182.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,425

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 112

$0.42 LKR 138

-19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 LKR 113

$0.36 LKR 117

-5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 284

$0.88 LKR 288

-1.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 LKR 374

$1.33 LKR 435

-14.29%

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

$13.8K LKR 4.5M

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

-54.59%

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

$21.2K LKR 6.9M

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-49.24%

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

$21.36 LKR 7,008

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

-61.07%

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

$3.10 LKR 1,016

$4.13 LKR 1,354

-24.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.97 LKR 6,881

$20.85 LKR 6,839

0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.81 LKR 2,562

$14.29 LKR 4,688

-45.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,859

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 LKR 1,439

$4.33 LKR 1,419

1.39%

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

$38.45 LKR 12.6K

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

2.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 LKR 396.7K

$1,223 LKR 401.2K

-1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.83 LKR 6,505

$19.78 LKR 6,488

0.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.08 LKR 3,962

$16.93 LKR 5,556

-28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.05 LKR 7,889

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

-69.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.86 LKR 8,811

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

-36.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 LKR 44.5K

$547 LKR 179.5K

-75.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.5 LKR 19.9K

$248 LKR 81.2K

-75.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LKR 132.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$152 LKR 49.9K

$250 LKR 82.0K

-39.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Homagama: August 29, 2026

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Homagama and $547 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 64% 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: $24.00 in Homagama vs $26.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $237 per month, with Homagama 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

Homagama vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Homagama wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Homagama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 64% lower in Colombo. 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: $136 in Homagama versus $547 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.45 in Homagama versus $37.34 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Homagama – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $481 in Homagama versus $771 in Colombo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homagama but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Homagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Homagama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $481 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Homagama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Homagama 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.

Expats usually find Homagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.