Cost of Living Comparison Between Ragama and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ragama and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $519 in Ragama versus $727 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $861 in Ragama versus $1,162 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,203 in Ragama versus $1,596 in Colombo.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,363

$3.93 LKR 1,316

3.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.91 LKR 8,346

$24.88 LKR 8,337

0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 LKR 2,850

$8.46 LKR 2,834

0.59%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 880

$2.74 LKR 919

-4.01%

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

$0.73 LKR 245

$0.75 LKR 250

-2.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.40 LKR 135

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 777

$2.32 LKR 776

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,112

$3.27 LKR 1,097

1.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 528

$1.78 LKR 595

-11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 189

$0.56 LKR 188

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 243

$0.87 LKR 293

-16.09%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 706

$2.18 LKR 731

-3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 LKR 4,765

$13.99 LKR 4,687

1.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 LKR 1,523

$4.71 LKR 1,579

-3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 LKR 2,747

$8.21 LKR 2,751

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 LKR 2,482

$7.43 LKR 2,491

-0.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 376

$1.06 LKR 355

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 LKR 1,948

$5.73 LKR 1,920

1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 416

$1.26 LKR 423

-1.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 388

$1.11 LKR 372

4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 416

$1.42 LKR 475

-12.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 386

$1.16 LKR 388

-0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 186

$0.56 LKR 187

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 LKR 3,373

$10.07 LKR 3,376

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 LKR 4,167

$12.68 LKR 4,248

-1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 705

$2.08 LKR 695

0.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 999

$2.97 LKR 995

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,700

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.42 LKR 140

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$0.32 LKR 109

9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$0.58 LKR 194

-1.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.21 LKR 404

4.13%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

-0.45%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-3.47%

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

$59.4 LKR 19.9K

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

-0.50%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,437

$4.30 LKR 1,439

-0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.96 LKR 5,013

$15.04 LKR 5,038

-0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,921

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,437

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 LKR 1,127

$3.45 LKR 1,155

-2.61%

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

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

3.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 149.1K

$448 LKR 150.0K

-0.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.07 LKR 9,070

$27.11 LKR 9,084

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 LKR 6,467

$19.30 LKR 6,468

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 LKR 23.3K

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.8K

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 Ragama: July 26, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Ragama vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ragama wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ragama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $779 in Ragama 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 $37.47 in Ragama 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 Ragama – 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 $1,200 a month, though Ragama 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 Ragama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $519 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ragama hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ragama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.