Overview At a Glance Cost of Living Safety Cities Healthcare Environment FAQ Before You Go

Sri Lanka🇱🇰

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At a Glance

How Sri Lanka compares across key indices

Cost of Living

29 vs NYC

100 = NYC

Safety Index

76/100

Healthcare

65/100

Quality of Life

130/200

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Cost of Living

How far your money goes in Sri Lanka

Cost of Living

100 = NYC baseline

Rent Index

100 = NYC rent

Groceries

100 = NYC groceries

Restaurant Prices

100 = NYC dining

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Compare Sri Lanka

Side-by-side comparison with another country

Safety & Crime

Low Risk

How safe residents feel in Sri Lanka - based on surveys of people living there

Safety Index

76/100

Crime Index

25/100

Lower is better

Walking Safety

Daytime100

Nighttime100

0 point drop from day to night

Cities in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has 60 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $573 in Ratnapura to $728 in Colombo. Ratnapura leads on safety, scoring 80/100. Ratnapura ranks highest for quality of life at 138/200.

💸Most Affordable

Ratnapura

$573/mo

Safest

Ratnapura

80/100

Best Quality of Life

Ratnapura

138/200

Best Healthcare

Colombo

75/100

City filter

Featured

Curated and popular cities first.

40 of 60 shown

City	Monthly Cost	Safety	Quality of Life	Healthcare	Pollution
Colombo	$728	72/100	135/200	75/100	45
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia	$619	77/100	137/200	66/100	38
Maharagama	$615	77/100	137/200	66/100	37
Jaffna	$610	77/100	137/200	65/100	37
Moratuwa	$610	77/100	137/200	65/100	37
Negombo	$604	78/100	137/200	65/100	36
Pita Kotte	$600	78/100	137/200	64/100	35
Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte	$599	78/100	137/200	64/100	35
Kandy	$598	78/100	137/200	64/100	35
Trincomalee	$597	78/100	138/200	64/100	35
Kalmunai	$594	78/100	138/200	64/100	35
Galle	$592	79/100	138/200	63/100	34
Point Pedro	$591	79/100	138/200	63/100	34
Batticaloa	$590	79/100	138/200	63/100	34
Katunayaka	$589	79/100	138/200	63/100	34
Ambalantota	$588	79/100	138/200	63/100	34
Valvedditturai	$587	79/100	138/200	63/100	34
Matara	$586	79/100	138/200	63/100	34
Battaramulla South	$586	79/100	138/200	63/100	34
Dambulla	$582	79/100	138/200	62/100	33
Kolonnawa	$581	79/100	138/200	62/100	33
Kotikawatta	$581	79/100	138/200	62/100	33
Anuradhapura	$579	80/100	138/200	62/100	33
Vavuniya	$579	80/100	138/200	62/100	33
Beliatta	$578	80/100	138/200	62/100	33
Hendala	$577	80/100	138/200	62/100	32
Ambalangoda	$577	80/100	138/200	62/100	32
Ratnapura	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Badulla	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Pottuvil	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Puttalam	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Devinuwara	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Ampara	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Welisara	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Kalutara	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Bentota	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Matale	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Mannar	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Homagama	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32
Beruwala	$573	80/100	138/200	61/100	32

Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.

Compare Cities Side by Side

Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life

Healthcare

Healthcare system overview for Sri Lanka

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Environment

Clean

Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Sri Lanka

Pollution Index

40/100

Lower is better

PM2.5

20.0ug/m3

Moderate

Environmental Quality

Air Quality100/100

Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about living in Sri Lanka, answered with data

What is the cost of living in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka has a cost of living index of 29 relative to New York City (100). It is significantly cheaper than the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $594 in Kalmunai and reach $728 in Colombo.

What is the cheapest city in Sri Lanka for expats?

Kalmunai is the most affordable city in Sri Lanka in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $594 for a single person including rent. Trincomalee is the next most affordable at $597/mo.

Is Sri Lanka safe for expats?

Sri Lanka has a safety index of 76/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Kalmunai scores highest on safety at 78/100.

What is the best city in Sri Lanka for expats and digital nomads?

Kalmunai ranks highest for quality of life in Sri Lanka, scoring 138/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $594/mo for a single person.

How good is healthcare in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka scores 65/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it good by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.

Is Sri Lanka cheaper than the United States?

Yes. Sri Lanka's cost of living is roughly 71% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 78% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.

Before You Go

Your pre-departure checklist for Sri Lanka

Plan Your Move

Where Can I Move?

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Compare Countries

Side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, safety, healthcare, and more.

Cost of Living

Model monthly costs with Freedom Abroad estimates before you narrow the shortlist.

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Cost of living, safety, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates modeled from open public sources. Data sources

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