Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Tecla and Negombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Tecla and Negombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,360 in Santa Tecla versus $417 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Santa Tecla versus $688 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,548 in Santa Tecla versus $958 in Negombo.

Living in Santa Tecla is roughly 226% more expensive than in Negombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Tecla is 2% above, Negombo is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 $7.79

$4.04 LKR 1,356

92.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.49 $35.49

$18.34 LKR 6,163

93.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 $6.86

$8.18 LKR 2,749

-16.14%

Cappuccino

$3.32 $3.32

$1.36 LKR 457

144.12%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$0.68 LKR 229

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.37 LKR 125

135.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.96 LKR 658

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.33 LKR 1,118

-9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.55 LKR 520

12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.49 LKR 164

306.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.86 LKR 288

72.09%

Eggs

$2.39 $2.39

$2.21 LKR 742

8.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$14.31 LKR 4,809

-49.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.61 LKR 1,548

18.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 $10.73

$5.58 LKR 1,875

92.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.02 LKR 680

59.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.77 LKR 257

124.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.44 LKR 819

2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.21 LKR 408

127.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.86 LKR 289

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.95 LKR 318

124.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.03 LKR 344

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.61 LKR 204

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 $3.94

$8.64 LKR 2,903

-54.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 $11.81

$12.87 LKR 4,324

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.06 LKR 693

-17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.96 LKR 993

-18.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 $5.66

$0.39 LKR 131

1351.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 $3.11

$0.33 LKR 112

842.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 $20.26

$0.60 LKR 203

3276.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.21 LKR 406

-19.83%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

-7.31%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$34.4K LKR 11.6M

-16.69%

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

$103 $103

$30.72 LKR 10.3K

235.16%

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

$19.23 $19.23

$4.31 LKR 1,448

346.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.11 $41.11

$14.95 LKR 5,024

174.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.38 $25.38

$13.13 LKR 4,412

93.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 LKR 3,320

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 $5.16

$2.49 LKR 837

107.23%

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

$147 $147

$36.96 LKR 12.4K

296.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,937 $5,937

$442 LKR 148.5K

1243.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 $67.4

$19.56 LKR 6,573

244.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.73 $43.73

$19.18 LKR 6,445

128.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$48.46 LKR 16.3K

139.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$27.21 LKR 9,142

284.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 $801

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 $591

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 $1,181

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 $899

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$407 $407

$177 LKR 59.5K

129.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

16.45

-47.84%

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

Last update for Santa Tecla: July 13, 2026

Last update for Negombo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Santa Tecla pays 130% 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: $35.00 in Santa Tecla vs $18.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $204 per month, with Negombo 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

Santa Tecla vs Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Negombo wins on cost – living expenses run 226% lower than in Santa Tecla. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Negombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 130% higher in Santa Tecla, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $147 in Santa Tecla versus $36.96 in Negombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negombo – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $35.00 in Santa Tecla. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $417 in Negombo versus $1,360 in Santa Tecla, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Negombo but tight or insufficient in Santa Tecla. The gap between the two cities makes Negombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Santa Tecla and Negombo 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 Negombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 226% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.