Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kataragama and Singapore

For one person, living is cheaper in Kataragama: $508 a month against $3,594 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $37,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kataragama, Sri Lanka
Singapore, Singapore
Kataragama
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$508
/mo nomad
Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,594
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kataragama and in Singapore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kataragama and in Singapore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $508 per month in Kataragama vs $3,594 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Kataragama $508
  • Singapore $3,594

A couple spends around $824 per month in Kataragama vs $5,314 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Kataragama $824
  • Singapore $5,314

A family of three spends $1,140 per month in Kataragama vs $7,033 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Kataragama $1,140
  • Singapore $7,033

Kataragama is about 86% cheaper than Singapore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kataragama sits 62% below the global median, while Singapore is 166% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.87 LKR 1,286
$11.58 SGD 14.84
-66.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.70 LKR 8,212
$70.7 SGD 90.5
-65.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.34 LKR 2,440
$8.46 SGD 10.84
-13.24%
Cappuccino
$2.43 LKR 807
$5.18 SGD 6.64
-53.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 LKR 224
$1.84 SGD 2.36
-63.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 LKR 90.8
$1.23 SGD 1.58
-78.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 LKR 741
$9.50 SGD 12.17
-76.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 LKR 1,025
$9.86 SGD 12.63
-68.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 LKR 522
$3.02 SGD 3.87
-48.01%
White Bread (500g)
$0.56 LKR 187
$2.67 SGD 3.42
-79.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.76 LKR 252
$2.77 SGD 3.54
-72.56%
Eggs
$1.63 LKR 543
$3.72 SGD 4.77
-56.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.08 LKR 5,014
$21.01 SGD 26.92
-28.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.89 LKR 1,626
$9.95 SGD 12.75
-50.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.66 LKR 2,546
$25.13 SGD 32.20
-69.52%
Apples (1kg)
$6.54 LKR 2,173
$4.59 SGD 5.88
42.48%
Banana (1kg)
$0.83 LKR 276
$3.09 SGD 3.96
-73.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.08 LKR 1,358
$4.64 SGD 5.95
-12.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.31 LKR 437
$2.18 SGD 2.79
-39.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 LKR 360
$2.33 SGD 2.99
-53.65%
Onion (1kg)
$0.83 LKR 276
$2.31 SGD 2.96
-64.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 LKR 414
$1.86 SGD 2.39
-33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 LKR 150
$1.55 SGD 1.98
-70.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.29 LKR 3,421
$14.11 SGD 18.08
-27.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.61 LKR 4,526
$23.24 SGD 29.78
-41.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 LKR 652
$4.73 SGD 6.06
-58.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 LKR 977
$4.79 SGD 6.14
-38.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.53 SGD 1.96
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$96.5 SGD 124
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.40 LKR 134
$3.58 SGD 4.59
-88.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 LKR 103
$0.76 SGD 0.97
-59.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.86 LKR 285
$16.98 SGD 21.75
-94.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 LKR 445
$2.46 SGD 3.15
-45.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.6K LKR 14.5M
$159.4K SGD 204.2K
-72.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.6K LKR 15.2M
$155.7K SGD 199.5K
-70.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.8 LKR 18.9K
$168 SGD 215
-66.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.15 LKR 1,380
$12.24 SGD 15.68
-66.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.61 LKR 6,855
$28.18 SGD 36.11
-26.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$111 SGD 142
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.60 SGD 14.86
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.50 LKR 1,495
$12.24 SGD 15.68
-63.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$39.71 LKR 13.2K
$1,899 SGD 2,433
-97.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.3K LKR 5.8M
$39.1K SGD 50.1K
-55.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.27 LKR 6,074
$79.6 SGD 102
-77.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.51 LKR 5,824
$50.7 SGD 65.0
-65.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.6 LKR 25.8K
$112 SGD 143
-30.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.79 LKR 13.9K
$125 SGD 160
-66.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,191 SGD 4,089
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,257 SGD 2,892
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$6,173 SGD 7,910
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$4,035 SGD 5,170
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$23.6K SGD 30.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$16.5K SGD 21.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kataragama
Singapore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,526 SGD 5,799
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.5
2.44
412.30%

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

Last update for Kataragama: November 1, 2026

Last update for Singapore: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kataragama
$242
Singapore
$459 89.5% $217
Eating Out
Kataragama
$103
Singapore
$260 152% $157
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kataragama
$82
Singapore
$208 155% $127
Clothing & Footwear
Kataragama
$70
Singapore
$165 136% $95
Sport & Entertainment
Kataragama
$9 *
Singapore
$135 1403% $126
Getting Around
Kataragama
$2 *
Singapore
$110 5539% $108
Accommodation & Living
Kataragama
- *
Singapore
$2.3K

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Kataragama versus $71 in Singapore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $459 – making Kataragama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Kataragama
🇸🇬 Singapore
🕒 Local time
03:40 3:40 AM
06:10 6:10 AM
2 h 30 min ahead of Kataragama
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,000
5,535,002 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SGD, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.78 USD). 1 EUR = 1.43 SGD (1 SGD = 0.698 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kataragama Singapore 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kataragama
  • Singapore

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
Kataragama vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kataragama or Singapore?
Singapore costs about 608% more than Kataragama, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kataragama and in Singapore?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $762 per month in Kataragama and $5,392 in Singapore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Kataragama compared to Singapore?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $508 in Kataragama and $3,594 in Singapore. That makes Kataragama about 86% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Kataragama and in Singapore?
Kindergarten costs $40 per month in Kataragama and $1,899 in Singapore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Kataragama or in Singapore?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Singapore at $3,594. In Kataragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Kataragama or Singapore?
It depends on your priorities. Singapore has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $508 in Kataragama to $3,594 in Singapore. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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