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: $526 in Ragama versus $710 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $851 in Ragama versus $1,148 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,177 in Ragama versus $1,587 in Colombo.

Living in Ragama costs roughly 26% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ragama 61% lower, Colombo 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,240

$4.11 LKR 1,299

-4.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.21 LKR 7,978

$24.62 LKR 7,792

2.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 LKR 2,703

$8.30 LKR 2,627

2.89%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 865

$2.70 LKR 856

1.11%

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

$0.74 LKR 233

$0.68 LKR 216

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 127

$0.37 LKR 117

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 734

$2.29 LKR 725

1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,032

$3.37 LKR 1,067

-3.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 501

$1.69 LKR 535

-6.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 168

$0.52 LKR 166

1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 238

$0.82 LKR 258

-8.54%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 694

$2.15 LKR 679

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.03 LKR 4,441

$14.21 LKR 4,498

-1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,468

$4.63 LKR 1,465

0.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 LKR 2,509

$7.80 LKR 2,470

1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$7.69 LKR 2,433

$7.60 LKR 2,405

1.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 340

$1.10 LKR 349

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 LKR 1,801

$5.96 LKR 1,886

-4.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 399

$1.20 LKR 379

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 351

$1.10 LKR 349

0.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 LKR 375

$1.43 LKR 452

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 367

$1.18 LKR 374

-1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 192

$0.56 LKR 176

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 LKR 3,198

$9.90 LKR 3,134

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 LKR 4,073

$12.58 LKR 3,982

2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 632

$2.08 LKR 658

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 936

$2.99 LKR 946

-1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 49.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,559

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$0.39 LKR 122

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 111

$0.35 LKR 112

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 178

$0.60 LKR 190

-6.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 400

$1.25 LKR 396

0.80%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.6M

$26.4K LKR 8.3M

3.47%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.0M

$34.2K LKR 10.8M

1.56%

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

$59.0 LKR 18.7K

$59.3 LKR 18.8K

-0.54%

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

$4.43 LKR 1,404

$4.29 LKR 1,359

3.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.40 LKR 4,875

$14.97 LKR 4,737

2.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.33 LKR 4,537

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.29 LKR 2,308

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,091

$3.40 LKR 1,076

1.47%

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

$37.37 LKR 11.8K

$36.52 LKR 11.6K

2.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$440 LKR 139.4K

$446 LKR 141.3K

-1.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.22 LKR 8,616

$27.17 LKR 8,600

0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.32 LKR 6,116

$19.16 LKR 6,065

0.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 22.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.05 LKR 12.4K

$38.86 LKR 12.3K

0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 LKR 119.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 LKR 55.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 LKR 303.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 LKR 112.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,614 LKR 1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 LKR 389.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 79.3K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Colombo: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Ragama and $378 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25 in Ragama vs $25 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $257 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 35% 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 $789 in Ragama and $1,065 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 $37.37 in Ragama versus $36.52 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 $526 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 35% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.