Cost of Living in Sri Lanka - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Sri Lanka
Address: LK

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $462 (excluding rent), and $660 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,127 (excluding rent), and $1,420 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.34 LKR 1,032

$1.67 LKR 515

$6.68 LKR 2,064

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.90 LKR 7,386

$13.65 LKR 4,219

$51.2 LKR 15.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 LKR 2,087

$5.40 LKR 1,670

$10.13 LKR 3,131

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 807

$0.99 LKR 307

$3.99 LKR 1,233

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

$0.69 LKR 214

$0.49 LKR 150

$1.14 LKR 352

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 114

$0.29 LKR 90.2

$0.65 LKR 201

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 714

$1.49 LKR 461

$3.31 LKR 1,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 LKR 1,004

$2.27 LKR 702

$6.50 LKR 2,009

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 LKR 539

$1.34 LKR 415

$1.89 LKR 583

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 LKR 181

$0.49 LKR 152

$1.40 LKR 433

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 258

$0.68 LKR 211

$1.19 LKR 368

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 683

$1.22 LKR 377

$2.63 LKR 814

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 LKR 4,116

$4.42 LKR 1,365

$30.59 LKR 9,455

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 LKR 1,523

$3.23 LKR 998

$7.14 LKR 2,207

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 LKR 2,391

$4.99 LKR 1,543

$11.65 LKR 3,602

Apples (1kg)

$7.09 LKR 2,191

$2.02 LKR 625

$10.11 LKR 3,124

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 303

$0.49 LKR 152

$1.97 LKR 609

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,771

$1.69 LKR 522

$10.16 LKR 3,139

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 425

$0.55 LKR 170

$2.73 LKR 844

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 353

$0.61 LKR 189

$1.70 LKR 527

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 371

$0.55 LKR 170

$2.04 LKR 632

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 LKR 347

$0.32 LKR 99.5

$2.61 LKR 808

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 181

$0.42 LKR 129

$0.70 LKR 217

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,077

$8.29 LKR 2,562

$11.61 LKR 3,588

Wine (Bottle)

$13.01 LKR 4,020

$8.13 LKR 2,513

$19.51 LKR 6,031

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 LKR 654

$1.35 LKR 418

$2.70 LKR 835

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 892

$1.83 LKR 564

$4.06 LKR 1,253

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 LKR 67.8

$0.12 LKR 38.31

$0.31 LKR 97.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.91 LKR 1,516

$3.27 LKR 1,012

$9.82 LKR 3,036

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 119

$0.32 LKR 98.4

$0.58 LKR 179

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 100

$0.26 LKR 79.7

$0.58 LKR 180

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 LKR 161

$0.34 LKR 106

$1.04 LKR 322

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 388

$1.02 LKR 315

$1.40 LKR 433

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

$26.7K LKR 8.3M

$20.1K LKR 6.2M

$34.7K LKR 10.7M

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

$38.4K LKR 11.9M

$25.4K LKR 7.8M

$50.7K LKR 15.7M

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

$46.49 LKR 14.4K

$26.29 LKR 8,125

$82.1 LKR 25.4K

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

$4.43 LKR 1,370

$1.98 LKR 610

$8.23 LKR 2,542

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.06 LKR 4,655

$7.93 LKR 2,449

$33.00 LKR 10.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.07 LKR 4,040

$6.77 LKR 2,092

$21.98 LKR 6,793

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 LKR 1,871

$3.33 LKR 1,029

$9.99 LKR 3,087

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 LKR 1,061

$2.40 LKR 741

$5.15 LKR 1,590

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

$36.56 LKR 11.3K

$16.52 LKR 5,104

$82.6 LKR 25.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$451 LKR 139.4K

$204 LKR 63.0K

$1,020 LKR 315.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.62 LKR 8,537

$11.88 LKR 3,672

$67.9 LKR 21.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.74 LKR 5,791

$7.66 LKR 2,368

$43.32 LKR 13.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 LKR 19.9K

$33.54 LKR 10.4K

$117 LKR 36.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.41 LKR 11.6K

$20.26 LKR 6,262

$67.5 LKR 20.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 LKR 82.5K

$117 LKR 36.1K

$601 LKR 185.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 LKR 43.0K

$66.3 LKR 20.5K

$331 LKR 102.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 LKR 191.8K

$196 LKR 60.7K

$1,524 LKR 470.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 LKR 84.2K

$119 LKR 36.7K

$509 LKR 157.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,630 LKR 1.1M

$2,466 LKR 762.0K

$4,385 LKR 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,246 LKR 385.0K

$1,051 LKR 324.9K

$1,628 LKR 503.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$217 LKR 67.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.21

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

Last update: March 1, 2026

By City in Sri Lanka

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Amparai	110000	26	$458	$517	$1,207	$1,206	150.48	21.58
2	Anuradhapura	63200	25	$418	$484	$1,082	$1,173	93.74	21.06
3	Arugam Bay	5000						43.17	20.12
4	Badulla	110000	26	$401	$528	$1,230	$1,175	53.92	18.76
5	Bandarawela	8000	29	$416	$576	$990	$1,267	41.11	18.33
6	Battaramulla	20000	26	$498	$522	$1,286	$1,204	62.43	69.11
7	Bentota	37000	33	$463	$646	$947	$1,080	147.64	23.51
8	Beruwala	35300	26	$537	$524	$1,200	$1,213	30.53	44.49
9	Chavakachcheri	41400						80.39	28.43
10	Colombo	753000	36	$491	$719	$1,184	$1,610	301.72	80.81
11	Dambulla	68800	26	$502	$527	$1,043	$1,206	158.95	18.74
12	Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia	-	26	$537	$521	$1,117	$1,175	-	-
13	Eravur	-	26	$470	$535	$1,294	$1,172	148.43	26.02
14	Galle	100000	25	$496	$504	$1,229	$1,320	27.71	38.27
15	Gampaha	20000	25	$432	$510	$962	$1,219	237.88	44.86
16	Hatton	16200	26	$511	$531	$1,186	$1,195	62.13	18.99
17	Hikkaduwa	101342	30	$390	$586	$920	$1,620	62.93	23.51
18	Homagama	25000	26	$418	$519	$1,115	$1,096	17.59	66.88
19	Horana	15000	26	$435	$517	$988	$1,187	266.94	39.96
20	Jaffna	600000		$341	$513	$707	$904	103.04	28.43
21	Kalmunai	25000	33	$416	$656	$1,015	$1,436	19.39	20.12
22	Kalutara	39600	27	$418	$539	$1,327	$1,197	61.87	42.21
23	Kandana	15000	26	$491	$519	$1,254	$1,195	39.96	44.86
24	Kandy	125000	27	$414	$539	$834	$1,143	23.47	21.4
25	Kataragama	20000	26	$429	$526	$973	$1,213	51.92	17.46
26	Katunayaka	-	26	$464	$533	$1,152	$1,212	-	-
27	Kegalle	17900	26	$519	$521	$1,145	$1,203	244.46	18.87
28	Kolonnawa	64800	26	$492	$509	$946	$1,162	45.22	69.11
29	Kurunegala	30300	22	$455	$450	$1,164	$1,064	299.52	55.74
30	Maharagama	196400		$409	$466	$1,035	$1,111	148.61	66.88
31	Matale	40800		$189	$234	$397	$517	113.51	19.84
32	Matara	100000	29	$481	$575	$1,122	$1,252	34.8	74.6
33	Mirissa	15000	33	$461	$668	$1,140	$1,149	78.86	21.55
34	Moratuwa	207000		$74.4	$74.9	$206	$179	192.84	69.7
35	Negombo	142449	21	$353	$422	$1,048	$938	98.73	37.29
36	Nuwara Eliya	27500	26	$443	$530	$1,303	$1,195	27.32	18.23
37	Panadura	-	26	$407	$529	$1,279	$1,202	28.26	58.76
38	Piliyandala	-	26	$457	$528	$1,123	$1,113	127.83	65.25
39	Point Pedro	20000						217.42	27.03
40	Polonnaruwa	15000	26	$476	$531	$1,242	$1,173	82.19	28.25
41	Puttalam	45400		$96.1	$88.0	$184	$165	155.32	20.3
42	Ragama	15000	26	$519	$534	$1,013	$1,213	67.89	44.86
43	Ratnapura	52100	26	$494	$519	$1,122	$1,174	153.45	21.49
44	Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte	115826	38	$472	$741	$974	$1,559	106.51	66.88
45	Trincomalee	99100	26	$406	$537	$1,119	$1,200	92.72	36.45
46	Vavuniya	99600	26	$416	$531	$1,046	$1,152	92.38	24.35
47	Wattala	30200	27	$500	$537	$1,195	$1,234	106.09	44.86
48	Weligama	20000	37	$459	$731	$1,174	$1,108	168.25	70

Sri Lanka Median Internet Speeds (Updated January 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Sri Lanka - Frequently Asked Questions

Cost of Living in Sri Lanka is typically favorable for long stays, with a noticeable gap between budget-friendly options and tourist-forward services. You’ll find value in local eateries, bus and train travel, and simple guesthouses that keep daily costs gentle, while Western-style accommodations or premium experiences raise the ceiling. The country’s mix of Colombo’s bustle, coast towns, and hill country allows you to tailor your lifestyle to your budget. Seasonality matters, too: shoulder seasons can soften prices on stays and activities. Tip: choose neighborhoods by daily routines and access to markets, not just price, to maximize comfort.

Daily life centers on accessible services and neighborhood flavor. For housing, start with local rental listings, then walk a few blocks to gauge noise, security, and daily routes to markets. Food options range from vibrant street stalls to family-owned eateries; cooking at home helps control costs while still enjoying fresh produce at markets. Public transport is generally affordable, with trains and buses offering comfortable routes between towns; ride-hailing apps are expanding but still inexpensive. Co-working spaces exist in major towns, making remote work practical. Sri Lanka living cost remains friendly if you favor local services and longer stays. Tip: explore several neighborhoods on short stays to gauge the vibe before committing.

Quality of life comes from balance and pace. Build a simple budget using three buckets: essentials, flexible spending, and a small buffer for occasional travel. Seasonality matters: monsoon shifts impact beach access and traffic, while dry periods bring more sunny days but higher crowds in popular spots. To choose a neighborhood, align with your daily needs: proximity to markets or coworking, reliable internet, safety, and a vibe that suits your pace – Colombo suburbs for urban convenience, coastal towns for slower rhythms, or highland towns for cool weather. Tap locally: try short-term stays in several areas before committing. Tip: keep a flexible schedule and revisit your cost anchors as you settle in.