Colombo vs Seoul Cost of Living
Colombo (Sri Lanka) · Overall index 23.5 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 127% more expensive than Colombo.
- Rent in Seoul is 190% more expensive than in Colombo.
- Transport in Seoul is 156% more expensive than in Colombo.
| Item | Colombo | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +190% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $401 | $1,128 | +181% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $294 | $885 | +201% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $907 | $2,631 | +190% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $551 | $1,576 | +186% |
| Groceries | +116% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.38 | $0.97 | +155% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.33 | $3.03 | +128% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.53 | $3.33 | +118% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.65 | $3.32 | +101% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.78 | $9.47 | +98% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $3.8 | $8.39 | +121% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.4 | $14.8 | +131% |
| Apples (1kg) | $1.9 | $4.15 | +118% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.76 | $1.53 | +101% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.47 | $3.36 | +129% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $1.65 | $3.73 | +126% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.03 | $2.22 | +116% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.03 | $1.86 | +81% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.9 | $1.71 | +90% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.77 | $1.67 | +117% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.1 | $11.7 | +129% |
| Transport | +156% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.73 | $1.68 | +130% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $29.1 | $68.9 | +137% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.08 | $2.76 | +156% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.46 | $1.34 | +191% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.23 | $0.53 | +130% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $6,291 | $18,844 | +200% |
| Dining out | +153% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.91 | $14.8 | +150% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $33.3 | $84.8 | +155% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.2 | $7.96 | +149% |
| Cappuccino | $1.39 | $3.11 | +124% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.62 | $1.89 | +205% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $1.91 | $4.53 | +137% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.12 | $5.53 | +161% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.57 | $1.43 | +151% |
| Telecom | +69% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.2 | $45.1 | +86% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $28.7 | $47.3 | +65% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.14 | $0.22 | +57% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.7 | $11.3 | +69% |
| Utilities & household | +111% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $60.9 | $130 | +113% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.07 | $0.16 | +129% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.62 | $3.13 | +93% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.44 | $1.03 | +134% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $7.6 | $15.9 | +109% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $28.4 | $60.9 | +114% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $4.67 | $9.46 | +103% |
| Men's haircut | $10.3 | $22.9 | +122% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.02 | $16.6 | +84% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $699 | $1,561 | +123% |
3,196 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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