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: $543 in Tabriz versus $718 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $905 in Tabriz versus $1,153 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,267 in Tabriz versus $1,588 in Colombo.

Living in Tabriz costs roughly 24% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tabriz 59% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 $4.59

$4.07 LKR 1,366

12.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 $19.61

$25.28 LKR 8,492

-22.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 $2.96

$8.60 LKR 2,891

-65.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 $0.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 $1.27

Cappuccino

$1.20 $1.20

$2.71 LKR 909

-55.72%

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

$1.01 $1.01

$0.69 LKR 232

46.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.40 LKR 136

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.70 LKR 571

-62.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 $0.53

$0.55 LKR 185

-3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.88 LKR 295

117.05%

Eggs

$1.21 $1.21

$2.14 LKR 721

-43.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$13.88 LKR 4,662

-75.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$4.78 LKR 1,606

-40.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 $9.71

$8.09 LKR 2,717

20.02%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 $0.96

$7.65 LKR 2,570

-87.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.07 LKR 359

37.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$5.84 LKR 1,963

-79.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.25 LKR 421

-52.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 $0.54

$1.14 LKR 384

-52.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$1.36 LKR 458

-67.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.20 LKR 403

-52.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.56 LKR 190

-55.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 $2.18

$9.99 LKR 3,358

-78.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,266

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.16 LKR 54.7

206.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.11 $20.11

$4.93 LKR 1,657

307.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.38 LKR 129

-18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.35 LKR 119

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 $3.89

$0.62 LKR 207

527.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.19 LKR 401

-37.82%

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

$72.3K $72.3K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

166.02%

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

$56.4K $56.4K

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

64.50%

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

$14.58 $14.58

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

-75.54%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$4.30 LKR 1,444

-50.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.74 $5.74

$15.37 LKR 5,165

-62.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.49 $14.49

$14.83 LKR 4,984

-2.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.21 $25.21

$7.39 LKR 2,484

241.14%

Cinema Ticket

$1.74 $1.74

$3.28 LKR 1,103

-46.95%

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

$68.9 $68.9

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

89.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$681 $681

$442 LKR 148.5K

54.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.46 $16.46

$27.73 LKR 9,318

-40.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.64 $12.64

$19.12 LKR 6,425

-33.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 $174

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

151.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.59 $49.59

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

26.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 $187

$368 LKR 123.6K

-49.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 $196

$173 LKR 58.0K

13.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 $861

$971 LKR 326.1K

-11.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 $399

$369 LKR 123.9K

8.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$864 $864

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

-75.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 $855

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

-26.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 $229

$251 LKR 84.2K

-8.52%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $187 in Tabriz and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 9% 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 $107 vs $258 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 32% 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 9% 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: $187 in Tabriz versus $368 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 141% 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 $543 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 32% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.