Cost of Living Comparison Between Polonnaruwa and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Polonnaruwa and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Polonnaruwa versus $727 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $855 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,162 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,192 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,596 in Colombo.

Living in Polonnaruwa costs roughly 29% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Polonnaruwa 61% lower, Colombo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 LKR 1,338

$3.93 LKR 1,317

1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 LKR 8,434

$24.88 LKR 8,343

1.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 LKR 2,792

$8.46 LKR 2,836

-1.54%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 895

$2.74 LKR 919

-2.55%

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

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.75 LKR 250

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.40 LKR 136

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 768

$2.32 LKR 776

-1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,130

$3.27 LKR 1,098

3.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 576

$1.78 LKR 596

-3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$0.56 LKR 188

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 275

$0.87 LKR 293

-5.75%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 720

$2.18 LKR 732

-1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 LKR 4,807

$13.99 LKR 4,691

2.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,558

$4.71 LKR 1,581

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 LKR 2,638

$8.21 LKR 2,753

-4.14%

Apples (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,495

$7.43 LKR 2,493

0.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 360

$1.06 LKR 355

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 LKR 1,916

$5.73 LKR 1,921

-0.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 407

$1.26 LKR 423

-3.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.11 LKR 373

4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 477

$1.42 LKR 475

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 401

$1.16 LKR 388

3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.56 LKR 187

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 LKR 3,345

$10.07 LKR 3,378

-0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 LKR 4,158

$12.68 LKR 4,251

-2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 677

$2.08 LKR 696

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 991

$2.97 LKR 996

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,701

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$0.42 LKR 140

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.32 LKR 109

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$0.58 LKR 194

-1.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 400

$1.21 LKR 404

-1.65%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

0.52%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-0.01%

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

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

1.52%

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

$4.20 LKR 1,409

$4.30 LKR 1,440

-2.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,155

$15.04 LKR 5,042

2.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,925

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,439

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,131

$3.45 LKR 1,156

-2.32%

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

$37.12 LKR 12.4K

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

2.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 146.0K

$448 LKR 150.1K

-2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.64 LKR 9,269

$27.11 LKR 9,091

1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.24 LKR 6,451

$19.30 LKR 6,473

-0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

-2.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.58 LKR 12.9K

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Polonnaruwa: July 25, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Polonnaruwa vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $258 per month, with Polonnaruwa 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

Polonnaruwa vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polonnaruwa wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Polonnaruwa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $776 in Polonnaruwa 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 $37.12 in Polonnaruwa versus $36.16 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Either city works on $800 a month, though Polonnaruwa 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 Polonnaruwa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $518 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Polonnaruwa hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Polonnaruwa 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 Polonnaruwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.