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: $1,386 in Santa Tecla versus $405 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,013 in Santa Tecla versus $656 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,639 in Santa Tecla versus $907 in Negombo.

Living in Santa Tecla is roughly 242% more expensive than in Negombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Tecla is 1% above, Negombo is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 $7.16

$4.34 LKR 1,422

64.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 $43.78

$16.77 LKR 5,500

161.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.82 LKR 2,564

-12.15%

Cappuccino

$3.51 $3.51

$1.30 LKR 425

170.00%

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

$1.15 $1.15

$0.68 LKR 223

69.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.27 LKR 88.9

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.20 LKR 721

-10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.96 LKR 970

21.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.66 LKR 544

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.53 LKR 173

324.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.80 LKR 263

71.25%

Eggs

$2.27 $2.27

$1.64 LKR 539

38.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$13.20 LKR 4,330

-42.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$4.28 LKR 1,405

25.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 $10.22

$6.17 LKR 2,023

65.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.80 LKR 590

76.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.69 LKR 225

123.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.25 LKR 739

28.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.16 LKR 380

150.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.77 LKR 253

215.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.76 LKR 249

219.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.93 LKR 305

11.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.49 LKR 159

97.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 $3.99

$10.53 LKR 3,456

-62.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$13.55 LKR 4,446

-10.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.99 LKR 654

9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.71 LKR 889

5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 102

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 $6.09

$0.42 LKR 136

1350.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.34 LKR 113

764.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.79 $19.79

$0.90 LKR 294

2098.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.02 LKR 333

19.61%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$30.6K LKR 10.0M

-17.68%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$41.6K LKR 13.7M

-34.23%

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

$130 $130

$25.89 LKR 8,492

401.31%

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

$21.56 $21.56

$4.22 LKR 1,386

410.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.03 $43.03

$21.07 LKR 6,911

104.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.54 $24.54

$15.35 LKR 5,035

59.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.07 LKR 2,974

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 $5.10

$2.45 LKR 803

108.16%

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

$164 $164

$37.90 LKR 12.4K

332.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,762 $4,762

$448 LKR 146.9K

963.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 $66.4

$9.19 LKR 3,014

622.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.83 $46.83

$16.79 LKR 5,509

178.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$35.99 LKR 11.8K

235.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$24.01 LKR 7,878

389.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 $763

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 $586

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 $1,224

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 $903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$414 $414

$183 LKR 60.1K

125.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

12.69

-33.02%

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

Last update for Santa Tecla: August 31, 2026

Last update for Negombo: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Santa Tecla pays 126% 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: $44.00 in Santa Tecla vs $17.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $195 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 242% 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 126% 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 $164 in Santa Tecla versus $37.90 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 $17.00 versus $44.00 in Santa Tecla. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $405 in Negombo versus $1,386 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 242% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.