Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Lanka and Turkey Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Lanka and Turkey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $465 per month in Sri Lanka vs $1,020 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $736 per month in Sri Lanka vs $1,591 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,007 per month in Sri Lanka vs $2,161 in Turkey, rent included.

The cost of living in Sri Lanka is roughly 54% lower than in Turkey on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Sri Lanka and Turkey are more affordable than the global median – Sri Lanka 66% lower, Turkey 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.92 LKR 959
$9.07 ₺440
-67.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.61 LKR 6,442
$41.10 ₺1,996
-52.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.72 LKR 2,538
$8.74 ₺425
-11.67%
Cappuccino
$2.42 LKR 794
$3.63 ₺176
-33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 LKR 217
$1.44 ₺70.0
-54.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 LKR 103
$0.50 ₺24.19
-38.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 LKR 762
$3.82 ₺185
-39.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 LKR 995
$4.45 ₺216
-31.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 LKR 523
$1.02 ₺49.48
55.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 LKR 164
$0.99 ₺48.06
-49.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.76 LKR 249
$2.22 ₺108
-65.77%
Eggs
$1.68 LKR 552
$2.20 ₺107
-23.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.63 LKR 3,822
$9.83 ₺477
18.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.31 LKR 1,415
$4.82 ₺234
-10.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.97 LKR 2,289
$20.63 ₺1,002
-66.21%
Apples (1kg)
$5.77 LKR 1,897
$1.83 ₺88.6
215.30%
Banana (1kg)
$0.80 LKR 263
$1.97 ₺95.5
-59.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.07 LKR 1,339
$1.11 ₺54.1
266.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.21 LKR 397
$1.34 ₺64.9
-9.70%
Potato (1kg)
$0.97 LKR 319
$0.57 ₺27.79
70.18%
Onion (1kg)
$0.82 LKR 270
$0.43 ₺20.76
90.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.79 LKR 260
$0.93 ₺45.19
-15.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 LKR 150
$0.64 ₺31.20
-28.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.31 LKR 3,388
$2.23 ₺108
362.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.18 LKR 4,001
$11.94 ₺580
2.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 LKR 640
$2.24 ₺109
-12.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 LKR 871
$2.97 ₺144
-10.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 LKR 53.1
$0.80 ₺38.89
-80.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.16 LKR 2,024
$41.38 ₺2,009
-85.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 LKR 145
$1.52 ₺74.0
-71.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 LKR 116
$0.85 ₺41.26
-58.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 LKR 307
$7.97 ₺387
-88.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 LKR 397
$1.33 ₺64.8
-9.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.6K LKR 10.1M
$43.7K ₺2.1M
-29.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8K LKR 13.1M
$42.1K ₺2.0M
-5.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.47 LKR 15.9K
$75.9 ₺3,684
-36.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.20 LKR 1,380
$10.31 ₺500
-59.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.40 LKR 5,389
$15.65 ₺760
4.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.28 LKR 4,365
$54.3 ₺2,635
-75.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.27 LKR 2,061
$20.33 ₺987
-69.16%
Cinema Ticket
$3.60 LKR 1,182
$7.41 ₺360
-51.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$35.76 LKR 11.8K
$680 ₺33.0K
-94.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$579 LKR 190.4K
$15.8K ₺769.5K
-96.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.60 LKR 6,769
$52.8 ₺2,562
-60.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.48 LKR 5,088
$43.65 ₺2,119
-64.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 LKR 23.9K
$101 ₺4,885
-27.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$38.50 LKR 12.7K
$91.7 ₺4,453
-58.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$299 LKR 98.4K
$587 ₺28.5K
-49.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$138 LKR 45.4K
$421 ₺20.4K
-67.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$787 LKR 258.5K
$1,012 ₺49.1K
-22.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$226 LKR 74.4K
$699 ₺33.9K
-67.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,647 LKR 1.2M
$1,753 ₺85.1K
108.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,115 LKR 366.3K
$1,103 ₺53.6K
1.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$215 LKR 70.7K
$1,100 ₺53.4K
-80.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.46
41.91
-67.88%

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

Last update for Sri Lanka: September 6, 2026

Last update for Turkey: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $57.0 in Sri Lanka vs $458 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $299 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $749 in Ankara.

Average salary: $204 in Sri Lanka vs $1,058 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 704% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 71% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 2600% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 419% higher in Turkey, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Turkey.

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 Lanka vs Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Sri Lanka and Turkey compare in cost of living?
Sri Lanka is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 207% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Sri Lanka and Turkey?
Housing costs more in Turkey, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Turkey consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Sri Lanka or Turkey?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sri Lanka, contributing to the overall 207% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $1,200 go in Sri Lanka compared to Turkey?
$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sri Lanka, but in Turkey it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Sri Lanka and in Turkey?
Sri Lanka is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Sri Lanka vs other spots: cost of living compared

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