Cost of Living Comparison Between Penza and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Penza and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $878 in Penza versus $725 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,314 in Penza versus $1,160 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,750 in Penza versus $1,595 in Colombo.

Living in Penza is roughly 21% more expensive than Colombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penza 35% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 ₽555

$3.98 LKR 1,326

92.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.30 ₽2,413

$25.39 LKR 8,469

31.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ₽407

$8.59 LKR 2,865

-34.58%

Cappuccino

$1.12 ₽81.3

$2.61 LKR 872

-57.09%

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

$0.93 ₽67.1

$0.73 LKR 242

27.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₽43.55

$0.38 LKR 126

57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₽80.9

$2.30 LKR 769

-51.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₽161

$3.26 LKR 1,087

-31.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ₽86.4

$1.69 LKR 564

-29.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₽52.6

$0.56 LKR 186

30.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽123

$0.82 LKR 274

106.10%

Eggs

$1.80 ₽130

$2.21 LKR 738

-18.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 ₽732

$14.16 LKR 4,724

-28.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₽300

$4.74 LKR 1,581

-12.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 ₽623

$8.28 LKR 2,761

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₽83.8

$7.44 LKR 2,480

-84.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ₽129

$1.11 LKR 370

60.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₽130

$5.89 LKR 1,966

-69.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 ₽205

$1.20 LKR 400

136.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ₽36.34

$1.16 LKR 387

-56.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 ₽35.88

$1.36 LKR 452

-63.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 ₽134

$1.19 LKR 396

55.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽49.22

$0.60 LKR 201

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₽215

$10.17 LKR 3,392

-70.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 ₽741

$12.86 LKR 4,290

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₽68.6

$2.11 LKR 703

-54.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₽134

$2.99 LKR 997

-38.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₽33.05

$0.19 LKR 64.5

142.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.96 LKR 1,656

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₽135

$0.39 LKR 129

376.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₽42.95

$0.35 LKR 117

68.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 ₽323

$0.56 LKR 188

694.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 ₽50.4

$1.26 LKR 421

-45.24%

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

$34.2K ₽2.5M

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

27.52%

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

$35.3K ₽2.6M

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

1.82%

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

$110 ₽8,006

$60.9 LKR 20.3K

81.34%

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

$6.10 ₽442

$4.29 LKR 1,433

42.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.86 ₽570

$14.85 LKR 4,954

-47.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.77 ₽2,302

$14.58 LKR 4,862

117.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 LKR 2,482

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 ₽271

$3.28 LKR 1,093

14.02%

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

$323 ₽23.4K

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

786.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,094 ₽514.0K

$440 LKR 146.8K

1511.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 ₽5,037

$28.09 LKR 9,369

147.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.99 ₽3,260

$19.63 LKR 6,549

129.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₽8,237

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

62.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₽7,629

$38.80 LKR 12.9K

171.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₽32.1K

$366 LKR 122.1K

20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ₽18.7K

$174 LKR 58.1K

48.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₽57.3K

$937 LKR 312.5K

-15.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₽26.1K

$366 LKR 122.1K

-1.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 ₽192.2K

$3,583 LKR 1.2M

-25.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,213 ₽87.9K

$1,157 LKR 385.9K

4.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 ₽47.6K

$240 LKR 80.0K

174.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-51.37%

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

Last update for Penza: June 8, 2026

Last update for Colombo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Penza and $366 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penza pays 174% 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: $33.00 in Penza vs $25.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $259, with Penza cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Penza vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Penza. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Penza pays 174% more on average, 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: $443 in Penza versus $366 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $323 in Penza versus $36.45 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Penza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Colombo 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 Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $725 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Penza 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Penza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.