Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabriz and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabriz and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Tabriz versus $717 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $917 in Tabriz versus $1,166 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,277 in Tabriz versus $1,615 in Colombo.

Living in Tabriz costs roughly 22% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tabriz 58% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 $4.81

$4.13 LKR 1,376

16.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 $20.22

$25.16 LKR 8,392

-19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.97 $2.97

$8.20 LKR 2,735

-63.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 $0.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

Cappuccino

$1.16 $1.16

$2.66 LKR 887

-56.39%

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

$1.02 $1.02

$0.68 LKR 226

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.41 LKR 136

141.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 797

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,143

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.73 LKR 577

-65.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.53 LKR 176

-1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.83 LKR 275

131.33%

Eggs

$1.26 $1.26

$2.23 LKR 743

-43.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$14.02 LKR 4,675

-75.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$4.65 LKR 1,552

-39.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 $9.61

$8.01 LKR 2,673

19.98%

Apples (1kg)

$0.95 $0.95

$7.37 LKR 2,458

-87.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.12 LKR 373

27.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$5.83 LKR 1,945

-78.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.25 LKR 416

-54.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$1.14 LKR 381

-55.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$1.42 LKR 473

-69.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.14 LKR 381

-45.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.59 LKR 198

-57.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 $0.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 $2.21

$10.01 LKR 3,340

-77.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,245

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 703

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 991

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.14 LKR 48.29

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.13 $20.13

$5.09 LKR 1,696

295.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.38 LKR 128

-23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.33 LKR 110

-42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$0.60 LKR 201

561.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.26 LKR 419

-44.44%

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

$71.9K $71.9K

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

168.64%

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

$56.2K $56.2K

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

59.87%

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

$14.31 $14.31

$60.5 LKR 20.2K

-76.35%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$4.27 LKR 1,424

-50.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.68 $5.68

$15.34 LKR 5,116

-62.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.70 $14.70

$14.79 LKR 4,932

-0.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.96 $24.96

$7.11 LKR 2,372

251.05%

Cinema Ticket

$1.72 $1.72

$3.28 LKR 1,092

-47.56%

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

$66.5 $66.5

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$681 $681

$444 LKR 148.0K

53.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.59 $16.59

$27.15 LKR 9,054

-38.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.80 $12.80

$19.13 LKR 6,381

-33.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 $174

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

145.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.42 $49.42

$38.24 LKR 12.8K

29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 $189

$379 LKR 126.5K

-50.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 $193

$178 LKR 59.4K

8.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 $874

$937 LKR 312.5K

-6.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 $403

$361 LKR 120.3K

11.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$862 $862

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

-76.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 $855

$1,189 LKR 396.4K

-28.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 $230

$247 LKR 82.5K

-6.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

33.74%

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

Last update for Tabriz: May 30, 2026

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $189 in Tabriz and $379 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Tabriz vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $257 per month, with Tabriz cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tabriz vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tabriz wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tabriz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Colombo earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $189 in Tabriz versus $379 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 143% higher in Colombo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tabriz – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Tabriz gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tabriz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $557 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tabriz hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tabriz 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 Tabriz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.