Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matara and Singapore

For one person, living is cheaper in Matara: $581 a month against $3,594 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $36,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Matara
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Matara Living Index
171

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index

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Matara

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$581

/mo nomad

Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,594

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matara 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 Matara and in Singapore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $581 per month in Matara vs $3,594 in Singapore, rent included.

Matara $581
Singapore $3,594

A couple spends around $850 per month in Matara vs $5,314 in Singapore, rent included.

Matara $850
Singapore $5,314

A family of three spends $1,118 per month in Matara vs $7,033 in Singapore, rent included.

Matara $1,118
Singapore $7,033

Matara is about 84% cheaper than Singapore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Matara sits 57% below the global median, while Singapore is 166% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 LKR 1,283

$11.58 SGD 14.84

-66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.60 LKR 8,180

$70.7 SGD 90.5

-65.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 LKR 2,518

$8.46 SGD 10.84

-10.52%

Cappuccino

$2.44 LKR 813

$5.18 SGD 6.64

-52.90%

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

$0.68 LKR 225

$1.84 SGD 2.36

-63.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 83.0

$1.23 SGD 1.58

-79.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 751

$9.50 SGD 12.17

-76.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 992

$9.86 SGD 12.63

-69.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 526

$3.02 SGD 3.87

-47.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 190

$2.67 SGD 3.42

-78.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 260

$2.77 SGD 3.54

-71.84%

Eggs

$1.45 LKR 484

$3.72 SGD 4.77

-61.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 LKR 5,013

$21.01 SGD 26.92

-28.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 LKR 1,668

$9.95 SGD 12.75

-49.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 LKR 2,558

$25.13 SGD 32.20

-69.40%

Apples (1kg)

$6.67 LKR 2,218

$4.59 SGD 5.88

45.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 LKR 153

$3.09 SGD 3.96

-85.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 LKR 1,385

$4.64 SGD 5.95

-10.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 279

$2.18 SGD 2.79

-61.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 322

$2.33 SGD 2.99

-58.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 208

$2.31 SGD 2.96

-73.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 LKR 419

$1.86 SGD 2.39

-32.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 153

$1.55 SGD 1.98

-70.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 LKR 3,415

$14.11 SGD 18.08

-27.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 LKR 4,585

$23.24 SGD 29.78

-40.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 LKR 589

$4.73 SGD 6.06

-62.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 943

$4.79 SGD 6.14

-40.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LKR 95.2

$1.53 SGD 1.96

-81.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.5 SGD 124

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 135

$3.58 SGD 4.59

-88.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 102

$0.76 SGD 0.97

-59.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 310

$16.98 SGD 21.75

-94.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 LKR 458

$2.46 SGD 3.15

-43.90%

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

$43.4K LKR 14.4M

$159.4K SGD 204.2K

-72.77%

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

$45.7K LKR 15.2M

$155.7K SGD 199.5K

-70.62%

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

$44.63 LKR 14.8K

$168 SGD 215

-73.43%

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

$4.15 LKR 1,381

$12.24 SGD 15.68

-66.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.43 LKR 6,795

$28.18 SGD 36.11

-27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 SGD 142

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.60 SGD 14.86

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 LKR 1,482

$12.24 SGD 15.68

-63.56%

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

$40.78 LKR 13.6K

$1,899 SGD 2,433

-97.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K LKR 5.8M

$39.1K SGD 50.1K

-55.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.76 LKR 5,907

$79.6 SGD 102

-77.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.33 LKR 5,764

$50.7 SGD 65.0

-65.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 LKR 25.8K

$112 SGD 143

-30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.81 LKR 13.9K

$125 SGD 160

-66.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$182 LKR 60.5K

$3,191 SGD 4,089

-94.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.6 LKR 29.5K

$2,257 SGD 2,892

-96.08%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$105 LKR 35.1K

$4,526 SGD 5,799

-97.67%

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 Matara: November 2, 2026

Last update for Singapore: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matara

$238 40.9%

Singapore

$459 12.8% 93.3% $222

Eating Out

Matara

$104 17.9%

Singapore

$260 7.2% 150% $156

Accommodation & Living

Matara

$89 15.3%

Singapore

$2.3K 62.8% 2448% $2.2K

Clothing & Footwear

Matara

$69 12%

Singapore

$165 4.6% 137% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matara

$69 11.9%

Singapore

$208 5.8% 201% $139

Sport & Entertainment

Matara

$8.9 * 1.5%

Singapore

$135 3.8% 1416% $126

Getting Around

Matara

$3.1 * 0.5%

Singapore

$110 3.1% 3459% $107

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $182 in Matara versus $3,191 in Singapore. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Singapore are about 43 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Matara versus $71 in Singapore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $459 – making Matara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matara

🇸🇬 Singapore

🕒 Local time

01:25 1:25 AM

03:55 3:55 AM

2 h 30 min ahead of Matara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100,000

5,535,002 Capital

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Singapore Dollar SGD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1 SGD = 0.78 USD

1 SGD = 0.698 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

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).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Matara Singapore 2,640 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Matara
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

Matara vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 519%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $871 per month in Matara and $5,392 in Singapore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matara, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $182 there versus $3,191 in Singapore.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $581 in Matara and $3,594 in Singapore. That makes Matara about 84% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $41 per month in Matara and $1,899 in Singapore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matara, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Singapore at $3,594. In Matara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Matara. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.