Cost of Living Comparison Between Miri and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Miri and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $699 in Miri versus $718 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,090 in Miri versus $1,153 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Miri versus $1,588 in Colombo.

Living in Miri costs roughly 3% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miri 48% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.27 MYR 13.39

$4.07 LKR 1,366

-19.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.59 MYR 47.43

$25.28 LKR 8,492

-54.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 MYR 15.81

$8.60 LKR 2,891

-55.12%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MYR 10.78

$2.71 LKR 909

-2.95%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.69 LKR 232

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.40 LKR 136

-17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.79

$2.27 LKR 764

26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.48

$3.27 LKR 1,099

15.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.70 LKR 571

-19.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 MYR 5.75

$0.55 LKR 185

156.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.88 LKR 295

-10.23%

Eggs

$3.38 MYR 13.82

$2.14 LKR 721

57.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 MYR 44.64

$13.88 LKR 4,662

-21.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 MYR 18.70

$4.78 LKR 1,606

-4.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MYR 48.22

$8.09 LKR 2,717

45.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MYR 12.81

$7.65 LKR 2,570

-59.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.07 LKR 359

6.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 MYR 9.71

$5.84 LKR 1,963

-59.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.65

$1.25 LKR 421

10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MYR 2.39

$1.14 LKR 384

-49.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.74

$1.36 LKR 458

-33.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 MYR 4.01

$1.20 LKR 403

-18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.56 LKR 190

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.83

$9.99 LKR 3,358

-58.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 MYR 81.9

$12.70 LKR 4,266

57.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.24

$2.09 LKR 702

43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 MYR 9.42

$2.90 LKR 974

-20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 MYR 5.80

$0.16 LKR 54.7

787.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 MYR 35.44

$4.93 LKR 1,657

75.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$0.38 LKR 129

202.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 MYR 3.12

$0.35 LKR 119

117.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.75

$0.62 LKR 207

835.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.19 LKR 401

-61.34%

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

$57.9K MYR 236.8K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

112.85%

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

$28.1K MYR 115.0K

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-18.01%

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

$30.68 MYR 126

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

-48.52%

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

$9.45 MYR 38.69

$4.30 LKR 1,444

119.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.82 MYR 134

$15.37 LKR 5,165

113.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.65 MYR 117

$14.83 LKR 4,984

93.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 MYR 24.77

$7.39 LKR 2,484

-18.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 MYR 16.93

$3.28 LKR 1,103

26.22%

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

$98.0 MYR 401

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

168.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,147 MYR 21.1K

$442 LKR 148.5K

1064.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.09 MYR 144

$27.73 LKR 9,318

26.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 MYR 78.2

$19.12 LKR 6,425

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.72 MYR 183

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

-35.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.45 MYR 129

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

-19.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 MYR 1,299

$368 LKR 123.6K

-13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MYR 671

$173 LKR 58.0K

-5.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 MYR 2,011

$971 LKR 326.1K

-49.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 MYR 1,539

$369 LKR 123.9K

1.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,206 MYR 4,935

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

-66.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$681 MYR 2,785

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

-41.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$686 MYR 2,808

$251 LKR 84.2K

173.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.63

16.45

-77.93%

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

Last update for Miri: July 12, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Miri and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 174% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Miri vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $258 per month, with Miri 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

Miri vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Miri the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 174% higher in Miri, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $317 in Miri versus $368 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Miri – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Miri 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 Miri delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $699 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Miri hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Miri 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 Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.