Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Lanka and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Lanka and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $486 per month in Sri Lanka vs $2,642 in United States, rent included.

A couple spends around $778 per month in Sri Lanka vs $3,857 in United States, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Sri Lanka vs $5,072 in United States, rent included.

The cost of living in Sri Lanka is roughly 82% lower than in United States on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Sri Lanka sits 64% below the global median, while United States is 98% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 LKR 1,095

$19.63 $19.63

-83.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.06 LKR 7,748

$75.4 $75.4

-69.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 LKR 2,296

$11.57 $11.57

-40.97%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 895

$5.22 $5.22

-49.04%

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

$0.68 LKR 228

$2.49 $2.49

-72.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 LKR 122

$2.06 $2.06

-82.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 LKR 795

$5.91 $5.91

-59.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,114

$7.13 $7.13

-53.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 LKR 562

$1.09 $1.09

53.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$3.56 $3.56

-84.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 264

$4.74 $4.74

-83.33%

Eggs

$2.16 LKR 727

$4.34 $4.34

-50.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 LKR 4,383

$12.68 $12.68

2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 LKR 1,587

$12.28 $12.28

-61.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.57 LKR 2,545

$16.60 $16.60

-54.40%

Apples (1kg)

$7.19 LKR 2,414

$5.16 $5.16

39.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 345

$1.70 $1.70

-39.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.53 LKR 1,857

$4.45 $4.45

24.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 464

$4.80 $4.80

-71.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 371

$2.93 $2.93

-62.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 406

$3.09 $3.09

-60.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 398

$2.22 $2.22

-46.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LKR 179

$2.25 $2.25

-76.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,357

$9.90 $9.90

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 LKR 4,047

$15.28 $15.28

-21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 LKR 690

$1.91 $1.91

7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 LKR 938

$3.58 $3.58

-22.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 LKR 80.9

$2.46 $2.46

-90.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.05 LKR 1,698

$64.6 $64.6

-92.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

$3.77 $3.77

-89.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$1.71 $1.71

-80.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 LKR 161

$30.08 $30.08

-98.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 434

$0.96 $0.96

34.38%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$29.9K $29.9K

-10.97%

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

$37.6K LKR 12.6M

$26.1K $26.1K

43.64%

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

$47.84 LKR 16.1K

$210 $210

-77.23%

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

$4.46 LKR 1,498

$56.3 $56.3

-92.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.11 LKR 5,078

$72.9 $72.9

-79.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.74 LKR 4,282

$45.39 $45.39

-71.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.20 LKR 2,084

$21.60 $21.60

-71.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,104

$14.04 $14.04

-76.64%

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

$37.68 LKR 12.7K

$1,377 $1,377

-97.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$452 LKR 152.0K

$22.4K $22.4K

-97.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.71 LKR 9,309

$52.7 $52.7

-47.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.10 LKR 6,419

$42.41 $42.41

-54.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 LKR 21.5K

$91.8 $91.8

-30.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.62 LKR 12.3K

$114 $114

-67.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 LKR 90.2K

$1,765 $1,765

-84.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 LKR 47.9K

$1,462 $1,462

-90.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 LKR 208.6K

$2,849 $2,849

-78.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 LKR 90.6K

$2,369 $2,369

-88.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,655 LKR 1.2M

$3,364 $3,364

8.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,094 LKR 367.7K

$2,665 $2,665

-58.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 LKR 70.8K

$4,378 $4,378

-95.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.21

6.51

149.00%

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

Last update for Sri Lanka: July 14, 2026

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $55.0 in Sri Lanka vs $1,635 in United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $1,625 in Washington, MI.

Average salary: $191 in Sri Lanka vs $4,500 in United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 2873% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 284% more in United States.

Public transport is 2400% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 2256% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sri Lanka is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 764% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sri Lanka, contributing to the overall 764% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sri Lanka, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

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.