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: $534 in Ragama versus $725 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $867 in Ragama versus $1,160 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,201 in Ragama versus $1,595 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 60% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 LKR 1,364

$3.98 LKR 1,336

2.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.46 LKR 8,556

$25.39 LKR 8,531

0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 LKR 2,782

$8.59 LKR 2,886

-3.61%

Cappuccino

$2.76 LKR 926

$2.61 LKR 878

5.75%

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

$0.73 LKR 247

$0.73 LKR 244

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.38 LKR 127

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 800

$2.30 LKR 774

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 LKR 1,157

$3.26 LKR 1,095

5.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 549

$1.69 LKR 568

-3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$0.56 LKR 188

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 253

$0.82 LKR 276

-8.54%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 715

$2.21 LKR 743

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.01 LKR 4,706

$14.16 LKR 4,759

-1.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,545

$4.74 LKR 1,593

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 LKR 2,654

$8.28 LKR 2,781

-4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,496

$7.44 LKR 2,498

-0.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 371

$1.11 LKR 373

-0.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 LKR 1,889

$5.89 LKR 1,980

-4.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 419

$1.20 LKR 403

4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 391

$1.16 LKR 390

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 399

$1.36 LKR 455

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.19 LKR 399

0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.60 LKR 202

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 LKR 3,393

$10.17 LKR 3,417

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 LKR 4,228

$12.86 LKR 4,321

-2.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 680

$2.11 LKR 708

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 989

$2.99 LKR 1,004

-1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 64.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.96 LKR 1,668

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

$0.39 LKR 130

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.35 LKR 118

-8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 189

$0.56 LKR 190

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 406

$1.26 LKR 424

-3.97%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

-0.97%

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

$34.9K LKR 11.7M

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

0.56%

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

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

$60.9 LKR 20.5K

-0.44%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,434

$4.29 LKR 1,443

-0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.07 LKR 5,063

$14.85 LKR 4,990

1.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.58 LKR 4,897

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 LKR 2,500

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,135

$3.28 LKR 1,101

3.05%

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

$36.60 LKR 12.3K

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

0.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 149.3K

$440 LKR 147.9K

0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.18 LKR 9,132

$28.09 LKR 9,437

-3.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 LKR 6,541

$19.63 LKR 6,597

-0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 LKR 23.3K

$70.0 LKR 23.5K

-0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

$38.80 LKR 13.0K

-1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 123.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 58.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 314.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 123.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,583 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 LKR 388.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 LKR 80.6K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Colombo: June 8, 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 $253 vs $259 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 36% 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 $800 in Ragama and $1,087 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 $36.60 in Ragama 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 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 $534 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 36% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.