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: $1,375 in Santa Tecla versus $413 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,962 in Santa Tecla versus $687 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,548 in Santa Tecla versus $962 in Negombo.

Living in Santa Tecla is roughly 233% more expensive than Negombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Tecla is 3% above, Negombo is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 $7.81

$3.96 LKR 1,312

97.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.13 $35.13

$18.05 LKR 5,986

94.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$8.33 LKR 2,762

-14.89%

Cappuccino

$3.31 $3.31

$1.39 LKR 461

138.13%

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

$1.09 $1.09

$0.73 LKR 243

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.38 LKR 125

136.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.98 LKR 657

3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.37 LKR 1,118

-13.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.54 LKR 509

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.49 LKR 161

318.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.81 LKR 267

91.36%

Eggs

$2.38 $2.38

$2.19 LKR 726

8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$14.35 LKR 4,757

-51.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$4.60 LKR 1,525

22.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 $10.80

$5.64 LKR 1,871

91.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.97 LKR 653

56.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.77 LKR 254

115.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.49 LKR 826

5.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.20 LKR 397

118.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.85 LKR 283

165.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.97 LKR 321

119.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.97 LKR 323

3.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.57 LKR 188

87.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 $4.06

$8.90 LKR 2,952

-54.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 $11.21

$12.93 LKR 4,286

-13.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.07 LKR 687

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.97 LKR 986

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 105

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 $5.44

$0.39 LKR 129

1294.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 $3.00

$0.33 LKR 109

809.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.18 $20.18

$0.57 LKR 189

3440.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.26 LKR 418

-22.22%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.6K LKR 8.8M

-2.52%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

-19.52%

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

$103 $103

$30.48 LKR 10.1K

236.94%

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

$19.19 $19.19

$4.43 LKR 1,469

333.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.32 $42.32

$14.87 LKR 4,932

184.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.70 $24.70

$13.58 LKR 4,501

81.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 LKR 3,354

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 $5.11

$2.48 LKR 823

106.05%

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

$147 $147

$36.75 LKR 12.2K

299.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,045 $6,045

$441 LKR 146.4K

1269.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$19.50 LKR 6,466

243.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.92 $43.92

$19.18 LKR 6,360

128.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$48.26 LKR 16.0K

135.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$26.40 LKR 8,752

303.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 $786

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 $606

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$413 $413

$178 LKR 59.0K

131.76%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Negombo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Santa Tecla pays 132% 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 $248 vs $203 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 233% 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.

Santa Tecla pays 132% more on average, 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 $36.75 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 $413 in Negombo versus $1,375 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 233% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.