Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolonnawa and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolonnawa and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $520 in Kolonnawa versus $727 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $833 in Kolonnawa versus $1,162 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,147 in Kolonnawa versus $1,596 in Colombo.

Living in Kolonnawa costs roughly 29% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolonnawa 61% lower, Colombo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 LKR 1,370

$3.93 LKR 1,316

4.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.71 LKR 8,280

$24.88 LKR 8,337

-0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,721

$8.46 LKR 2,834

-4.02%

Cappuccino

$2.76 LKR 923

$2.74 LKR 919

0.73%

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

$0.68 LKR 228

$0.75 LKR 250

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.40 LKR 135

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 773

$2.32 LKR 776

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,148

$3.27 LKR 1,097

4.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 564

$1.78 LKR 595

-5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.56 LKR 188

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 240

$0.87 LKR 293

-17.24%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 706

$2.18 LKR 731

-3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 LKR 2,766

$13.99 LKR 4,687

-40.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,553

$4.71 LKR 1,579

-1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 LKR 2,753

$8.21 LKR 2,751

0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 LKR 2,548

$7.43 LKR 2,491

2.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 375

$1.06 LKR 355

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.82 LKR 1,949

$5.73 LKR 1,920

1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.26 LKR 423

-3.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 369

$1.11 LKR 372

-0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 472

$1.42 LKR 475

-0.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.56 LKR 187

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 LKR 3,330

$10.07 LKR 3,376

-1.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 LKR 3,443

$12.68 LKR 4,248

-18.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 657

$2.08 LKR 695

-5.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 LKR 781

$2.97 LKR 995

-21.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,700

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.42 LKR 140

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.32 LKR 109

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$0.58 LKR 194

5.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 419

$1.21 LKR 404

3.31%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

1.00%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.5M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-3.35%

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

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

-0.97%

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

$4.25 LKR 1,423

$4.30 LKR 1,439

-1.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.11 LKR 5,062

$15.04 LKR 5,038

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,426

$14.69 LKR 4,921

-30.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.70 LKR 571

$7.27 LKR 2,437

-76.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,128

$3.45 LKR 1,155

-2.32%

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

$37.46 LKR 12.6K

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

3.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 147.0K

$448 LKR 150.0K

-1.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 LKR 9,241

$27.11 LKR 9,084

1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,471

$19.30 LKR 6,468

0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 LKR 23.3K

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

-1.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Kolonnawa: July 26, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Kolonnawa vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $258 per month, with Kolonnawa 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

Kolonnawa vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolonnawa wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolonnawa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $780 in Kolonnawa and $1,091 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.

Childcare runs $37.46 in Kolonnawa versus $36.16 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kolonnawa gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kolonnawa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $520 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolonnawa hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.