Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunja and Negombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunja and Negombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,280 in Tunja versus $405 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Tunja versus $656 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,791 in Tunja versus $907 in Negombo.

Living in Tunja is roughly 216% more expensive than in Negombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tunja 7% lower, Negombo 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.15 COP 25.6K

$4.34 LKR 1,422

87.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.25 COP 129.7K

$16.77 LKR 5,500

145.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 COP 31.3K

$7.82 LKR 2,564

27.37%

Cappuccino

$2.53 COP 7,944

$1.30 LKR 425

94.62%

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

$1.34 COP 4,213

$0.68 LKR 223

97.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 COP 2,771

$0.27 LKR 88.9

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 COP 6,118

$2.20 LKR 721

-11.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$2.96 LKR 970

26.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 COP 5,197

$1.66 LKR 544

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,702

$0.53 LKR 173

362.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,121

$0.80 LKR 263

103.75%

Eggs

$3.69 COP 11.6K

$1.64 LKR 539

125.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 COP 22.5K

$13.20 LKR 4,330

-45.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 COP 23.6K

$4.28 LKR 1,405

75.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 COP 33.5K

$6.17 LKR 2,023

72.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 COP 10.5K

$1.80 LKR 590

86.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 COP 5,672

$0.69 LKR 225

160.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 COP 6,114

$2.25 LKR 739

-13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,495

$1.16 LKR 380

50.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,724

$0.77 LKR 253

94.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,447

$0.76 LKR 249

85.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 COP 4,150

$0.93 LKR 305

41.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,429

$0.49 LKR 159

122.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.53 LKR 3,456

-57.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 COP 39.7K

$13.55 LKR 4,446

-6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 COP 4,496

$1.99 LKR 654

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 COP 9,225

$2.71 LKR 889

8.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 COP 3,635

$0.31 LKR 102

274.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 COP 2,955

$0.42 LKR 136

123.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 COP 7,743

$0.34 LKR 113

623.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 COP 29.6K

$0.90 LKR 294

945.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 COP 4,146

$1.02 LKR 333

29.41%

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

$21.9K COP 69.0M

$30.6K LKR 10.0M

-28.34%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$41.6K LKR 13.7M

-14.68%

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

$128 COP 401.5K

$25.89 LKR 8,492

393.40%

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

$16.14 COP 50.7K

$4.22 LKR 1,386

282.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.38 COP 98.6K

$21.07 LKR 6,911

48.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.35 COP 126.8K

$15.35 LKR 5,035

162.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.07 LKR 2,974

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 COP 24.3K

$2.45 LKR 803

215.92%

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

$482 COP 1.5M

$37.90 LKR 12.4K

1172.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,518 COP 20.5M

$448 LKR 146.9K

1355.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 COP 256.5K

$9.19 LKR 3,014

787.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 COP 157.5K

$16.79 LKR 5,509

198.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 437.3K

$35.99 LKR 11.8K

286.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 COP 347.6K

$24.01 LKR 7,878

360.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 COP 2.1M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 COP 1.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 COP 3.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,163 COP 6.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,848 COP 5.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 LKR 60.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.81

12.69

0.95%

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

Last update for Tunja: August 30, 2026

Last update for Negombo: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $41.00 in Tunja vs $17.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $195 per month, with Negombo cheaper across the board.

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

Tunja vs Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Negombo wins on cost – living expenses run 216% lower than in Tunja. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Negombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,921 in Tunja and $608 in Negombo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $482 in Tunja versus $37.90 in Negombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negombo – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $41.00 in Tunja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $405 in Negombo versus $1,280 in Tunja, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Negombo but tight or insufficient in Tunja. The gap between the two cities makes Negombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tunja and Negombo 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 Negombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 216% less than in Tunja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.