Sri Lanka : Cost of Living by City
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Sri Lanka?
What attracts so many people to Sri Lanka are not only diverse landscapes such as rainforests, highlands, and sandy beaches but also a very affordable standard of living.
Even though it used to be, over recent years Sri Lanka is no longer the bargain.
It cannot be exactly estimated how much you are going spend there as that amount depends entirely on you and your lifestyle.
When you are thinking about the costs here, another thing to bear in mind is that many of them are tourist prices.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Sri Lanka
RESTAURANTS
If you drink cheap drinks and eat meals in budget cafés and inexpensive restaurants, you will consider Sri Lanka so cheap and affordable.
Otherwise, visiting expensive restaurants might make a huge hole in your budget.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $1.37 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $1.23 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.20 |
MARKETS
Food is not so expensive here, especially if you are earning your wages in your home country.
If your salary is the minimum one here, everything would be expensive.
Controlled prices are imposed on eight essential food items and some of them are rice, onions, and canned fish.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.15 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $0.54 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.56 |
TRANSPORTATION
Sri Lanka has an extensive road network for transportation and the buses are very efficient and the best way of commuting.
The monthly pass is more than a bargain, it costs only $4.25.
The price of gasoline is also low, so people fond of driving can afford it.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $0.14 |
| Monthly Pass | $4.25 |
| Gasoline | $1.03 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
As the monthly salaries are so low, the prices of utilities have to be based on them, so services are not quite pricey here.
Paying less than $50 for all the bills, with Internet access included is impossible in the majority of countries around the world.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $28.39 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.01 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $9.94 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
As a foreigner, you might think that fitness clubs and tennis court rents are inexpensive.
However, bearing in mind the fact that the average salary here is $200, locals would not think so.
Cinema lovers would pay $2.47 for the latest movie.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $9.37 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $4.05 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $2.47 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
Even though designer clothing items are cheap here, very little money is spent on them.
The locals do not have much money left after all the bills are paid, so they do not devote much to clothes.
That is why tourists would consider Sri Lanka a paradise for shopping.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $20.08 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $12.89 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $41.44 |
RENT PER MONTH
Besides the fact that average monthly salaries are low, the rent prices are not so inexpensive in Sri Lanka.
Quite the contrary, those who earn the minimum would not be able to afford to pay it, while those with the average salaries would need to give the whole salary for just the rent.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $193.1 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $90.03 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $462.92 |
HEALTHCARE
Sri Lanka provides free or low-cost public healthcare funded through taxes, with private insurance optional at roughly 25 to 60 USD per month.
Out-of-pocket spending averages around 200 to 500 USD per person per year for medications, doctor visits, and hospital care.
With average monthly salaries of 400 to 500 USD, healthcare costs can be a noticeable portion of income.
EDUCATION
Public primary and secondary schools are tuition-free, though families pay for uniforms, books, and supplies, around $50 to $200 per year.
Private schools charge $1,500 to $6,000 annually.
Public universities charge tuition of roughly $200 to $1,000 per year, while private universities can cost $1,500 to $5,000 annually.
Students also pay for housing, food, transport, and textbooks.
Average monthly income is about $200 to $300, so education costs, particularly private schooling and higher education expenses, are a large share of income.
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Sri Lanka?
If you are on a budget, you will need to think about all the possible costs once moving here.
Sri Lanka can be inexpensive, if you are not interested in leading luxurious lives, keep using local public transport for commuting and eat out from time to time in cheap restaurants.
Renting an apartment will raise your costs up considerably, but not as much as food which is essential.
Try leading the life of Sri Lanka’s citizens and you will be able to survive the month without many difficulties.
Average Costs Breakdown
Sri Lanka: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Based on the provided data, it can be said that living conditions for locals in Sri Lanka are not so great.
If you are supposed to earn a salary there, bear in mind the fact that you will need to have a salary higher than average to provide for basic necessities here.
Your work should provide an adequate income to cover the essential living costs of you and your family, and since you will need to pay the rent, the income needs to be quite high.
Sri Lanka Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Sri Lanka Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | MEDIUM |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | MEDIUM |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | LOW |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| MUGGING RISK | LOW |
| TERRORISM RISK | MEDIUM |
| SCAMS RISK | HIGH |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| TAP WATER RISK | HIGH |
Cost of Living by City in Sri Lanka
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Colombo |
36 |
Please clarify for me: ave. Salary is $247.27 is what? Weekly, monthly? Minimum wage: $52.2/what? Also what are you using Sri Lanka or US currency in your entire article?
Those are monthly
Around 35,000 lkr monthly
Which is about $100.
Sri Lanka sounds like such a hidden gem! I’d love to explore those beaches and rainforests, even if it’s not the steal it used to be. Sometimes it’s more about the experience than the cost, right?