Cost of Living Comparison Between Wattala and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Wattala and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $590 in Wattala versus $771 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $973 in Wattala versus $1,191 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,355 in Wattala versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Living in Wattala costs roughly 23% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Wattala 57% lower, Colombo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 LKR 1,429

$4.51 LKR 1,480

-3.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.60 LKR 8,399

$25.96 LKR 8,518

-1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 LKR 2,549

$7.80 LKR 2,558

-0.38%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 843

$2.47 LKR 810

4.05%

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

$0.74 LKR 244

$0.70 LKR 228

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 88.9

$0.25 LKR 81.8

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 LKR 732

$2.24 LKR 734

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 LKR 1,019

$3.08 LKR 1,010

0.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 511

$1.63 LKR 535

-4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 188

$0.57 LKR 187

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 260

$0.80 LKR 264

-1.25%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 539

$1.65 LKR 541

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 LKR 4,269

$13.08 LKR 4,293

-0.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,690

$4.96 LKR 1,627

3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,417

$7.27 LKR 2,384

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$6.88 LKR 2,257

$6.76 LKR 2,218

1.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 287

$0.83 LKR 272

4.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 LKR 1,384

$4.17 LKR 1,369

1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 422

$1.29 LKR 423

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 342

$1.05 LKR 343

-0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 260

$0.81 LKR 266

-2.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 LKR 316

$0.88 LKR 290

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.49 LKR 159

-2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.53 LKR 3,455

$10.25 LKR 3,362

2.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 LKR 4,530

$13.97 LKR 4,584

-1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 630

$1.89 LKR 621

1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 LKR 925

$2.78 LKR 911

1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 LKR 72.3

$0.17 LKR 56.5

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,425

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$0.42 LKR 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.36 LKR 117

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 308

$0.88 LKR 288

6.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 392

$1.33 LKR 435

-9.77%

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

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

2.25%

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

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

2.23%

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

$55.2 LKR 18.1K

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

0.56%

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

$4.21 LKR 1,381

$4.13 LKR 1,354

1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.59 LKR 6,754

$20.85 LKR 6,839

-1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.57 LKR 4,452

$14.29 LKR 4,688

-5.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.54 LKR 1,488

$5.67 LKR 1,859

-19.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 LKR 1,015

$4.33 LKR 1,419

-28.64%

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

$37.33 LKR 12.2K

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

-0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,220 LKR 400.3K

$1,223 LKR 401.2K

-0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.95 LKR 6,544

$19.78 LKR 6,488

0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.82 LKR 5,518

$16.93 LKR 5,556

-0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 LKR 25.6K

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

-1.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.84 LKR 14.1K

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 LKR 34.6K

$547 LKR 179.5K

-80.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.0 LKR 19.7K

$248 LKR 81.2K

-75.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 LKR 80.7K

$1,575 LKR 516.8K

-84.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 58.8K

$403 LKR 132.4K

-55.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 LKR 394.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Wattala: August 30, 2026

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $105 in Wattala and $547 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Wattala vs $26.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $238 vs $237, with Colombo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Wattala vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wattala wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Wattala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $886 in Wattala and $1,156 in Colombo 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $105 in Wattala versus $547 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.33 in Wattala versus $37.34 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Wattala – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $26.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $590 in Wattala versus $771 in Colombo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wattala but tight or insufficient in Colombo. The gap between the two cities makes Wattala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Wattala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $590 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Wattala hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Wattala 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 Wattala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.