Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalutara and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalutara and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $610 in Kalutara versus $771 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $898 in Kalutara versus $1,191 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,186 in Kalutara versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Living in Kalutara costs roughly 21% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kalutara 56% lower, Colombo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 LKR 1,438

$4.51 LKR 1,480

-2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 LKR 8,357

$25.96 LKR 8,518

-1.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 LKR 2,449

$7.80 LKR 2,558

-4.36%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 844

$2.47 LKR 810

4.05%

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

$0.69 LKR 226

$0.70 LKR 228

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.5

$0.25 LKR 81.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 734

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 996

$3.08 LKR 1,010

-1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 LKR 540

$1.63 LKR 535

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 186

$0.57 LKR 187

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 260

$0.80 LKR 264

-1.25%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 540

$1.65 LKR 541

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 LKR 4,304

$13.08 LKR 4,293

0.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 LKR 1,649

$4.96 LKR 1,627

1.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 LKR 2,372

$7.27 LKR 2,384

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$6.89 LKR 2,260

$6.76 LKR 2,218

1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 292

$0.83 LKR 272

7.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$4.17 LKR 1,369

4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 401

$1.29 LKR 423

-5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 343

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$0.81 LKR 266

-1.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 311

$0.88 LKR 290

7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.49 LKR 159

-2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 LKR 3,387

$10.25 LKR 3,362

0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 LKR 4,491

$13.97 LKR 4,584

-2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 619

$1.89 LKR 621

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 LKR 946

$2.78 LKR 911

3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 LKR 41.87

$0.17 LKR 56.5

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.34 LKR 3,065

$7.39 LKR 2,425

26.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 126

$0.42 LKR 138

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 LKR 67.0

$0.36 LKR 117

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 310

$0.88 LKR 288

7.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 LKR 426

$1.33 LKR 435

-2.26%

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

$30.7K LKR 10.1M

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

1.09%

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

$42.4K LKR 13.9M

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

1.69%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

1.44%

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

$4.23 LKR 1,387

$4.13 LKR 1,354

2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.58 LKR 6,753

$20.85 LKR 6,839

-1.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.96 LKR 2,939

$14.29 LKR 4,688

-37.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,859

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 LKR 1,445

$4.33 LKR 1,419

1.62%

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

$38.44 LKR 12.6K

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

2.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,224 LKR 401.7K

$1,223 LKR 401.2K

0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.89 LKR 6,525

$19.78 LKR 6,488

0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.49 LKR 5,409

$16.93 LKR 5,556

-2.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 LKR 25.7K

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

-1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.91 LKR 13.7K

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

-0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 179.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.4 LKR 27.7K

$248 LKR 81.2K

-65.90%

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)

$250 LKR 82.0K

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 Kalutara: August 31, 2026

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Kalutara vs $26.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $238 vs $237, with Colombo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kalutara vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalutara wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kalutara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $914 in Kalutara and $1,156 in Colombo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Colombo pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalutara – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $610 in Kalutara versus $771 in Colombo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kalutara but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Kalutara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kalutara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $610 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kalutara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kalutara 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 Kalutara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.