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

Name: Sri Lanka
Address: LK

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in United States vs $485 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $780 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $1,075 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

United States costs about 445% more than Sri Lanka on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 97% above the global median, while Sri Lanka is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$3.37 LKR 1,117

494.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$23.64 LKR 7,839

221.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$6.89 LKR 2,285

65.75%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$2.67 LKR 886

101.87%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$0.73 LKR 243

249.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.39 LKR 131

423.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.32 LKR 769

164.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.31 LKR 1,098

116.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.66 LKR 549

-37.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.54 LKR 179

575.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$0.79 LKR 263

498.73%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.18 LKR 723

100.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$12.92 LKR 4,285

-1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$4.98 LKR 1,653

149.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$7.81 LKR 2,589

110.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$7.26 LKR 2,407

-25.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.01 LKR 335

63.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.74 LKR 1,905

-20.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.34 LKR 443

266.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.09 LKR 360

167.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.17 LKR 387

167.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.17 LKR 387

93.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.54 LKR 180

325.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$10.00 LKR 3,316

-1.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$11.92 LKR 3,953

26.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.07 LKR 687

-7.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.91 LKR 966

25.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.22 LKR 72.8

1027.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$4.89 LKR 1,621

1225.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$0.41 LKR 136

836.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.36 LKR 118

388.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$0.51 LKR 169

5896.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.31 LKR 433

-26.72%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$26.7K LKR 8.8M

14.24%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$38.7K LKR 12.8M

-31.89%

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

$204 $204

$46.85 LKR 15.5K

335.80%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$4.48 LKR 1,486

1178.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$15.57 LKR 5,162

357.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$12.73 LKR 4,222

266.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$6.18 LKR 2,051

257.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$3.37 LKR 1,117

310.68%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$36.68 LKR 12.2K

3671.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$440 LKR 146.0K

5057.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$27.34 LKR 9,066

93.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$19.01 LKR 6,304

127.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$65.1 LKR 21.6K

39.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$36.62 LKR 12.1K

212.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$269 LKR 89.1K

557.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$139 LKR 46.0K

950.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$622 LKR 206.1K

355.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$272 LKR 90.1K

787.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$3,686 LKR 1.2M

-10.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,132 LKR 375.5K

134.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$212 LKR 70.1K

1970.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

16.21

-59.84%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sri Lanka: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $55.0 in Sri Lanka. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $193 in Sri Lanka. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 2876% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 284% more in United States.

Public transport is 2400% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 2232% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs Sri Lanka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sri Lanka is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 775% 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 775% 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.