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 $485 per month in Sri Lanka vs $1,081 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $780 per month in Sri Lanka vs $1,676 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,075 per month in Sri Lanka vs $2,271 in Turkey, rent included.

Sri Lanka is roughly 55% cheaper than 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
$3.37 LKR 1,117
$8.92 ₺410
-62.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.64 LKR 7,839
$38.84 ₺1,784
-39.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.89 LKR 2,285
$7.80 ₺358
-11.67%
Cappuccino
$2.67 LKR 886
$3.18 ₺146
-16.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 LKR 243
$1.26 ₺58.1
-42.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 LKR 131
$0.49 ₺22.59
-20.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 LKR 769
$3.63 ₺167
-36.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 LKR 1,098
$4.65 ₺214
-28.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 LKR 549
$0.99 ₺45.66
67.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.54 LKR 179
$0.79 ₺36.44
-31.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.79 LKR 263
$2.13 ₺97.7
-62.91%
Eggs
$2.18 LKR 723
$2.32 ₺107
-6.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.92 LKR 4,285
$9.78 ₺449
32.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.98 LKR 1,653
$5.70 ₺262
-12.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.81 LKR 2,589
$19.78 ₺909
-60.52%
Apples (1kg)
$7.26 LKR 2,407
$1.34 ₺61.6
441.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 LKR 335
$2.19 ₺101
-53.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.74 LKR 1,905
$1.18 ₺54.3
386.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.34 LKR 443
$1.46 ₺67.1
-8.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 LKR 360
$0.76 ₺34.86
43.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 LKR 387
$0.61 ₺28.15
91.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 LKR 387
$1.00 ₺45.86
17.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 LKR 180
$0.51 ₺23.31
5.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.00 LKR 3,316
$2.21 ₺101
352.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.92 LKR 3,953
$10.87 ₺499
9.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 LKR 687
$2.15 ₺98.6
-3.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 LKR 966
$2.82 ₺130
3.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 LKR 72.8
$0.70 ₺32.26
-68.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$4.89 LKR 1,621
$44.97 ₺2,066
-89.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.41 LKR 136
$1.06 ₺48.55
-61.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.36 LKR 118
$0.66 ₺30.23
-45.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.51 LKR 169
$7.61 ₺349
-93.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 LKR 433
$1.19 ₺54.5
10.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K LKR 8.8M
$43.2K ₺2.0M
-38.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K LKR 12.8M
$43.4K ₺2.0M
-10.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.85 LKR 15.5K
$69.3 ₺3,185
-32.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.48 LKR 1,486
$10.88 ₺500
-58.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.57 LKR 5,162
$14.03 ₺645
10.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$12.73 LKR 4,222
$49.89 ₺2,292
-74.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.18 LKR 2,051
$18.02 ₺828
-65.70%
Cinema Ticket
$3.37 LKR 1,117
$6.53 ₺300
-48.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$36.68 LKR 12.2K
$626 ₺28.7K
-94.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$440 LKR 146.0K
$13.0K ₺596.0K
-96.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.34 LKR 9,066
$53.3 ₺2,448
-48.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.01 LKR 6,304
$43.13 ₺1,982
-55.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.1 LKR 21.6K
$108 ₺4,946
-39.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.62 LKR 12.1K
$95.7 ₺4,399
-61.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$269 LKR 89.1K
$627 ₺28.8K
-57.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$139 LKR 46.0K
$454 ₺20.9K
-69.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$622 LKR 206.1K
$1,175 ₺54.0K
-47.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 LKR 90.1K
$726 ₺33.3K
-62.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,686 LKR 1.2M
$1,741 ₺80.0K
111.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,132 LKR 375.5K
$1,078 ₺49.5K
5.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sri Lanka
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$212 LKR 70.1K
$1,056 ₺48.5K
-79.97%
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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Turkey: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $55.0 in Sri Lanka vs $528 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $741 in Ankara.

Average salary: $193 in Sri Lanka vs $1,056 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 860% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 58% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 3000% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 447% higher in Turkey, giving Turkey stronger purchasing power.

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 254% 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 254% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $1,200 go in Sri Lanka vs 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 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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