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 $486 per month in Sri Lanka vs $1,081 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $778 per month in Sri Lanka vs $1,675 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Sri Lanka vs $2,268 in Turkey, rent included.

The cost of living in Sri Lanka is roughly 55% 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 64% lower, Turkey 19% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.26 LKR 1,095
$8.90 ₺420
-63.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.06 LKR 7,748
$37.67 ₺1,775
-38.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.83 LKR 2,296
$7.72 ₺364
-11.53%
Cappuccino
$2.66 LKR 895
$3.33 ₺157
-20.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 LKR 228
$1.34 ₺63.1
-49.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 LKR 122
$0.48 ₺22.72
-25.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.37 LKR 795
$3.59 ₺169
-33.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 LKR 1,114
$4.45 ₺210
-25.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 LKR 562
$0.99 ₺46.47
68.69%
White Bread (500g)
$0.55 LKR 184
$0.81 ₺38.26
-32.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.79 LKR 264
$2.18 ₺103
-63.76%
Eggs
$2.16 LKR 727
$2.31 ₺109
-6.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.05 LKR 4,383
$9.86 ₺465
32.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.72 LKR 1,587
$5.71 ₺269
-17.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.57 LKR 2,545
$19.55 ₺922
-61.28%
Apples (1kg)
$7.19 LKR 2,414
$1.34 ₺63.1
436.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 LKR 345
$2.28 ₺107
-54.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.53 LKR 1,857
$1.23 ₺57.9
349.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 LKR 464
$1.53 ₺72.1
-9.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 LKR 371
$0.72 ₺33.98
54.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 LKR 406
$0.61 ₺28.92
98.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 LKR 398
$1.04 ₺49.20
13.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 LKR 179
$0.47 ₺22.31
12.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.99 LKR 3,357
$2.14 ₺101
366.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.05 LKR 4,047
$11.22 ₺529
7.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.05 LKR 690
$2.13 ₺100
-3.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 LKR 938
$2.97 ₺140
-6.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 LKR 80.9
$0.72 ₺33.81
-66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.05 LKR 1,698
$46.57 ₺2,195
-89.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.41 LKR 138
$1.09 ₺51.4
-62.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 LKR 109
$0.66 ₺31.05
-50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 LKR 161
$7.77 ₺366
-93.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 LKR 434
$1.17 ₺55.2
10.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K LKR 8.9M
$42.5K ₺2.0M
-37.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K LKR 12.6M
$43.2K ₺2.0M
-13.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$47.84 LKR 16.1K
$69.0 ₺3,254
-30.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.46 LKR 1,498
$10.86 ₺512
-58.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.11 LKR 5,078
$14.06 ₺663
7.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$12.74 LKR 4,282
$49.31 ₺2,324
-74.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.20 LKR 2,084
$18.14 ₺855
-65.82%
Cinema Ticket
$3.28 LKR 1,104
$6.47 ₺305
-49.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$37.68 LKR 12.7K
$637 ₺30.0K
-94.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$452 LKR 152.0K
$12.9K ₺607.4K
-96.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.71 LKR 9,309
$54.5 ₺2,568
-49.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.10 LKR 6,419
$44.31 ₺2,088
-56.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.0 LKR 21.5K
$108 ₺5,068
-40.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.62 LKR 12.3K
$94.7 ₺4,465
-61.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$268 LKR 90.2K
$646 ₺30.4K
-58.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$142 LKR 47.9K
$445 ₺21.0K
-68.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$621 LKR 208.6K
$1,173 ₺55.3K
-47.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$270 LKR 90.6K
$722 ₺34.0K
-62.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,655 LKR 1.2M
$1,740 ₺82.0K
110.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,094 LKR 367.7K
$1,058 ₺49.9K
3.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$211 LKR 70.8K
$1,087 ₺51.2K
-80.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
42.38
-61.75%

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

Last update for Sri Lanka: July 14, 2026

Last update for Turkey: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $55.0 in Sri Lanka vs $527 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $726 in Ankara.

Average salary: $191 in Sri Lanka vs $1,041 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 858% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 58% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 3000% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 445% 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 246% 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 246% 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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