Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $771 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,086 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $1,191 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,454 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Living in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs roughly 7% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower, Colombo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$4.51 LKR 1,480

-3.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.79 LKR 8,133

$25.96 LKR 8,518

-4.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,473

$7.80 LKR 2,558

-3.33%

Cappuccino

$2.51 LKR 823

$2.47 LKR 810

1.62%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.70 LKR 228

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.25 LKR 81.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 720

$2.24 LKR 734

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,018

$3.08 LKR 1,010

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 LKR 430

$1.63 LKR 535

-19.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 186

$0.57 LKR 187

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 227

$0.80 LKR 264

-13.75%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 524

$1.65 LKR 541

-3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 LKR 4,368

$13.08 LKR 4,293

1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 LKR 1,438

$4.96 LKR 1,627

-11.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 LKR 1,742

$7.27 LKR 2,384

-26.96%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 LKR 2,050

$6.76 LKR 2,218

-7.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$0.83 LKR 272

6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,415

$4.17 LKR 1,369

3.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 390

$1.29 LKR 423

-7.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 306

$1.05 LKR 343

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$0.81 LKR 266

-7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 293

$0.88 LKR 290

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$0.49 LKR 159

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 LKR 3,017

$10.25 LKR 3,362

-10.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,093

$13.97 LKR 4,584

-10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 630

$1.89 LKR 621

1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 923

$2.78 LKR 911

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 56.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,425

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$0.42 LKR 138

-26.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 122

$0.36 LKR 117

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.88 LKR 288

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 379

$1.33 LKR 435

-12.78%

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

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

1.89%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

0.63%

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

$45.15 LKR 14.8K

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

-17.71%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,408

$4.13 LKR 1,354

3.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.22 LKR 4,009

$20.85 LKR 6,839

-41.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.98 LKR 4,915

$14.29 LKR 4,688

4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,859

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 LKR 1,017

$4.33 LKR 1,419

-28.41%

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

$38.65 LKR 12.7K

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

3.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$896 LKR 293.9K

$1,223 LKR 401.2K

-26.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.93 LKR 6,540

$19.78 LKR 6,488

0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 LKR 5,438

$16.93 LKR 5,556

-2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 LKR 25.8K

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

-0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 LKR 13.7K

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 100.8K

$547 LKR 179.5K

-43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 LKR 74.8K

$248 LKR 81.2K

-7.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 LKR 146.9K

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

-71.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 LKR 126.5K

$403 LKR 132.4K

-4.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 220.0K

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

-82.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$542 LKR 177.9K

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

-54.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 LKR 101.4K

$250 LKR 82.0K

23.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: August 30, 2026

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $547 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $26.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $237 per month, with Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $547 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.65 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $37.34 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $771 in Colombo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $718 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Colombo 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.