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 $2,642 per month in United States vs $486 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $778 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in United States vs $1,070 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 444% higher than in Sri Lanka on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 98% above the global median, while Sri Lanka is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$3.26 LKR 1,095

502.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$23.06 LKR 7,748

227.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$6.83 LKR 2,296

69.40%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$2.66 LKR 895

96.24%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.68 LKR 228

266.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.36 LKR 122

472.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.37 LKR 795

149.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.31 LKR 1,114

115.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.67 LKR 562

-34.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.55 LKR 184

547.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$0.79 LKR 264

500.00%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.16 LKR 727

100.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$13.05 LKR 4,383

-2.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$4.72 LKR 1,587

160.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$7.57 LKR 2,545

119.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$7.19 LKR 2,414

-28.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.03 LKR 345

65.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$5.53 LKR 1,857

-19.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.38 LKR 464

247.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.11 LKR 371

163.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.21 LKR 406

155.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.18 LKR 398

88.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.53 LKR 179

324.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$9.99 LKR 3,357

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.05 LKR 4,047

26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.05 LKR 690

-6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.79 LKR 938

28.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.24 LKR 80.9

925.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$5.05 LKR 1,698

1180.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$0.41 LKR 138

819.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.33 LKR 109

418.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$0.48 LKR 161

6166.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.29 LKR 434

-25.58%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

12.32%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$37.6K LKR 12.6M

-30.38%

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

$210 $210

$47.84 LKR 16.1K

339.21%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$4.46 LKR 1,498

1162.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$15.11 LKR 5,078

382.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$12.74 LKR 4,282

256.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$6.20 LKR 2,084

248.39%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$3.28 LKR 1,104

328.05%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$37.68 LKR 12.7K

3555.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$452 LKR 152.0K

4843.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$27.71 LKR 9,309

90.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$19.10 LKR 6,419

122.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$64.0 LKR 21.5K

43.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$36.62 LKR 12.3K

210.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$268 LKR 90.2K

557.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$142 LKR 47.9K

926.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$621 LKR 208.6K

358.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$270 LKR 90.6K

779.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$3,655 LKR 1.2M

-7.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$1,094 LKR 367.7K

143.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$211 LKR 70.8K

1976.57%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sri Lanka: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $55.0 in Sri Lanka. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,625 in Washington, MI and $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $191 in Sri Lanka. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 2873% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 284% more in United States.

Public transport is 2400% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 2256% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 764% 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 764% 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.