Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Colombo

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $811 in Colombo, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Colombo
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Colombo Living Index

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Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Colombo

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$811

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maharagama and in Colombo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $131 in Maharagama versus $811 in Colombo.

Maharagama $131
Colombo $811

Estimated couple costs with rent: $246 in Maharagama versus $1,298 in Colombo.

Maharagama $246
Colombo $1,298

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $361 in Maharagama versus $1,785 in Colombo.

Maharagama $361
Colombo $1,785

Living in Maharagama costs roughly 84% less than in Colombo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maharagama 90% lower, Colombo 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 LKR 1,761

$3.92 LKR 1,304

35.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 LKR 6,733

$24.58 LKR 8,177

-17.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 LKR 2,220

$7.39 LKR 2,458

-9.74%

Cappuccino

$2.11 LKR 702

$2.44 LKR 813

-13.52%

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

$0.64 LKR 213

$0.67 LKR 222

-4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LKR 95.3

$0.25 LKR 83.1

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 LKR 710

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 1,007

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 LKR 288

$1.58 LKR 525

-44.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LKR 76.1

$0.53 LKR 176

-56.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.50 LKR 167

$0.81 LKR 270

-38.27%

Eggs

$1.42 LKR 474

$1.62 LKR 539

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 LKR 5,035

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,701

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 LKR 2,547

Apples (1kg)

$6.62 LKR 2,201

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 293

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 LKR 1,382

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 LKR 425

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 347

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 LKR 404

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 LKR 3,338

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 LKR 4,555

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 LKR 643

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 987

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.15 LKR 2,709

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 146

$0.37 LKR 123

18.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 LKR 154

$0.34 LKR 112

35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 296

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 440

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

$43.6K LKR 14.5M

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

$45.1K LKR 15.0M

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

$57.7 LKR 19.2K

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

$4.55 LKR 1,514

$4.28 LKR 1,424

6.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.38 LKR 4,450

$20.66 LKR 6,872

-35.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 LKR 6,775

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 LKR 2,043

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 LKR 1,541

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

$40.83 LKR 13.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.12 LKR 6,027

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.34 LKR 5,768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 LKR 25.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.29 LKR 13.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 LKR 187.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 LKR 90.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 LKR 65.9K

$1,691 LKR 562.4K

-88.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 LKR 191.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,735 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 LKR 385.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 LKR 79.7K

$248 LKR 82.6K

-3.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

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

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Last update for Colombo: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Maharagama

–

Colombo

$271 33.4%

Groceries & Markets

Maharagama

–

Colombo

$244 30.1%

Eating Out

Maharagama

–

Colombo

$103 12.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maharagama

–

Colombo

$83 10.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Maharagama

–

Colombo

$69 8.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Maharagama

–

Colombo

$30 3.7%

Getting Around

Maharagama

–

Colombo

$11 1.3%

Cost Breakdown

Colombo pays 4% 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: $20 in Maharagama vs $25 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $19 vs $244 per month, with Maharagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🇱🇰 Colombo

🕒 Local time

08:54 8:54 AM

Same time as Maharagama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

196,400

753,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Maharagama Colombo 13 km

From you

Maharagama
Colombo

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

Maharagama vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maharagama wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Maharagama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Maharagama. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you’ll spend $131 per month in Maharagama versus $811 in Colombo – Maharagama is about 84% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1210% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Maharagama gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Maharagama wins on affordability, Colombo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.