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: $415 in Tabriz versus $771 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $693 in Tabriz versus $1,191 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $971 in Tabriz versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Living in Tabriz costs roughly 46% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tabriz 70% lower, Colombo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 $2.97

$4.51 LKR 1,480

-34.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.88 $14.88

$25.96 LKR 8,517

-42.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 $4.07

$7.80 LKR 2,557

-47.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 $1.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.35 $1.35

$2.47 LKR 810

-45.34%

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

$0.58 $0.58

$0.70 LKR 228

-17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.25 LKR 81.8

148.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 734

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

Milk (1 liter)

$0.60 $0.60

$1.63 LKR 535

-63.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 $0.35

$0.57 LKR 187

-38.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$0.80 LKR 264

375.00%

Eggs

$0.85 $0.85

$1.65 LKR 541

-48.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$13.08 LKR 4,292

-64.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$4.96 LKR 1,627

-40.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.33 $9.33

$7.27 LKR 2,384

28.34%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$6.76 LKR 2,218

-86.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$0.83 LKR 272

59.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$4.17 LKR 1,369

-80.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$1.29 LKR 423

-58.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 $0.54

$1.05 LKR 343

-48.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 $0.54

$0.81 LKR 266

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 $0.42

$0.88 LKR 290

-52.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 $0.22

$0.49 LKR 159

-55.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.61 $0.61

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 $0.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 $2.12

$10.25 LKR 3,361

-79.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 LKR 4,584

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 621

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 911

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 $0.10

$0.17 LKR 56.5

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.37 $12.37

$7.39 LKR 2,425

67.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.42 LKR 138

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 $0.17

$0.36 LKR 117

-52.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$0.88 LKR 288

344.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.08 $0.08

$1.33 LKR 435

-93.98%

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

$73.6K $73.6K

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

142.42%

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

$52.9K $52.9K

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

26.70%

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

$14.57 $14.57

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

-73.45%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$4.13 LKR 1,354

-52.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.64 $5.64

$20.85 LKR 6,838

-72.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.63 $14.63

$14.29 LKR 4,687

2.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.27 $25.27

$5.67 LKR 1,858

345.68%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$4.33 LKR 1,419

-64.43%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

57.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$544 $544

$1,223 LKR 401.1K

-55.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.57 $15.57

$19.78 LKR 6,487

-21.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.77 $10.77

$16.93 LKR 5,555

-36.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 $76.0

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

-4.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.11 $48.11

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 $150

$547 LKR 179.5K

-72.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 $121

$248 LKR 81.2K

-50.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 $369

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

-76.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 $247

$403 LKR 132.3K

-38.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$885 $885

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

-76.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$842 $842

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

-30.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 $235

$250 LKR 82.0K

-6.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

12.69

77.30%

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

Last update for Tabriz: August 31, 2026

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $150 in Tabriz and $547 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 6% 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: $15.00 in Tabriz vs $26.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $110 vs $237 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 86% 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, salaries run 6% lower in Colombo. 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: $150 in Tabriz versus $547 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 115% 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 $15.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $415 in Tabriz versus $771 in Colombo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tabriz but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Tabriz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tabriz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $415 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 86% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.