Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $473 in Maharagama versus $727 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $789 in Maharagama versus $1,162 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,105 in Maharagama versus $1,596 in Colombo.

Living in Maharagama costs roughly 35% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maharagama 64% lower, Colombo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,318

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 LKR 8,349

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 LKR 2,839

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 920

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

$0.75 LKR 250

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 777

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,098

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 LKR 644

$1.78 LKR 596

7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 164

$0.56 LKR 188

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 246

$0.87 LKR 293

-16.09%

Eggs

$2.07 LKR 694

$2.18 LKR 733

-5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 LKR 5,405

$13.99 LKR 4,694

15.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 LKR 1,995

$4.71 LKR 1,582

26.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 LKR 3,661

$8.21 LKR 2,755

32.89%

Apples (1kg)

$11.62 LKR 3,898

$7.43 LKR 2,495

56.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 419

$1.06 LKR 356

17.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.10 LKR 3,389

$5.73 LKR 1,923

76.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 LKR 613

$1.26 LKR 423

45.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 400

$1.11 LKR 373

7.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 407

$1.42 LKR 476

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 LKR 541

$1.16 LKR 388

38.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 LKR 208

$0.56 LKR 187

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 LKR 3,303

$10.07 LKR 3,381

-2.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,254

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 691

$2.08 LKR 696

-0.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 LKR 1,090

$2.97 LKR 997

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.44 LKR 1,154

$5.07 LKR 1,702

-32.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.42 LKR 140

-19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 105

$0.32 LKR 109

-3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 LKR 478

$1.21 LKR 404

18.18%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

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

$53.5 LKR 18.0K

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

-10.42%

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

$3.28 LKR 1,101

$4.30 LKR 1,441

-23.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.46 LKR 4,182

$15.04 LKR 5,045

-17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.51 LKR 4,534

$14.69 LKR 4,929

-8.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,441

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 LKR 1,706

$3.45 LKR 1,157

47.54%

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

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

88.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$500 LKR 167.8K

$448 LKR 150.2K

11.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.80 LKR 8,321

$27.11 LKR 9,097

-8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.30 LKR 4,464

$19.30 LKR 6,478

-31.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.2 LKR 18.9K

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

-20.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 LKR 19.5K

$39.20 LKR 13.2K

48.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 LKR 55.5K

$940 LKR 315.4K

-82.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 LKR 38.6K

$369 LKR 123.8K

-68.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

3.34%

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

Last update for Maharagama: July 27, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

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 54% 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.

You'd need roughly $709 in Maharagama 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 $68.3 in Maharagama versus $36.16 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Maharagama runs roughly 47% less than in Colombo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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 work as nomad bases, but Maharagama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $473 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Maharagama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Maharagama 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 Maharagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.