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: $506 in Kolonnawa versus $710 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $836 in Kolonnawa versus $1,148 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,166 in Kolonnawa versus $1,587 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 62% lower, Colombo 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 LKR 1,278

$4.11 LKR 1,299

-1.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 LKR 7,882

$24.62 LKR 7,792

1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 LKR 2,699

$8.30 LKR 2,627

2.77%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 841

$2.70 LKR 856

-1.48%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.37 LKR 117

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 728

$2.29 LKR 725

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,054

$3.37 LKR 1,067

-1.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 539

$1.69 LKR 535

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 166

$0.52 LKR 166

1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 LKR 222

$0.82 LKR 258

-14.63%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 676

$2.15 LKR 679

-0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 LKR 2,700

$14.21 LKR 4,498

-39.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,519

$4.63 LKR 1,465

3.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 LKR 2,611

$7.80 LKR 2,470

5.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.38 LKR 2,335

$7.60 LKR 2,405

-2.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 350

$1.10 LKR 349

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,813

$5.96 LKR 1,886

-3.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 400

$1.20 LKR 379

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 364

$1.10 LKR 349

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 437

$1.43 LKR 452

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 378

$1.18 LKR 374

0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 164

$0.56 LKR 176

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,241

$9.90 LKR 3,134

3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.98 LKR 3,475

$12.58 LKR 3,982

-12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 645

$2.08 LKR 658

-1.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 LKR 744

$2.99 LKR 946

-21.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 49.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,559

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$0.39 LKR 122

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$0.35 LKR 112

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 182

$0.60 LKR 190

-3.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 380

$1.25 LKR 396

-4.00%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

$26.4K LKR 8.3M

0.36%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

$34.2K LKR 10.8M

3.06%

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

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

$59.3 LKR 18.8K

2.31%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,386

$4.29 LKR 1,359

2.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.88 LKR 4,710

$14.97 LKR 4,737

-0.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.09 LKR 3,193

$14.33 LKR 4,537

-29.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.65 LKR 522

$7.29 LKR 2,308

-77.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$3.40 LKR 1,076

-0.88%

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

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

$36.52 LKR 11.6K

2.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 137.7K

$446 LKR 141.3K

-2.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 8,580

$27.17 LKR 8,600

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 LKR 6,057

$19.16 LKR 6,065

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

$70.2 LKR 22.2K

-2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

$38.86 LKR 12.3K

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 LKR 119.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 LKR 55.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 LKR 303.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 LKR 112.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,614 LKR 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 LKR 389.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 79.3K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Colombo: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Kolonnawa and $378 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25 in Kolonnawa vs $25 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $257 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 $759 in Kolonnawa and $1,065 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 $37.43 in Kolonnawa versus $36.52 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 $506 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.