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Colombo vs Kolkata cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฑ๐ฐ Colombo
๐ฎ๐ณ Kolkata
At a glance
- Where Kolkata is clearly cheaper: Convenience store (68%โ), Studio rent (month) (56%โ), Bottled water (55%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Colombo | Kolkata | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rs 1,000$3.33 | โน 180$2.14 | Kolkata โ36% |
| Street food1 item | Rs 500$1.67 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ50% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rs 4,000$13.3 | โน 550$6.55 | Kolkata โ51% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rs 1,000$3.33 | โน 170$2.02 | Kolkata โ39% |
| Beerone bottle | Rs 1,000$3.33 | โน 220$2.62 | Kolkata โ21% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rs 2,500$8.33 | โน 500$5.95 | Kolkata โ29% |
| Bottled water | Rs 80$0.27 | โน 10$0.12 | Kolkata โ55% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rs 220$0.73 | โน 20$0.24 | Kolkata โ68% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rs 600$2 | โน 150$1.79 | Kolkata โ11% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rs 300$1 | โน 60$0.71 | Kolkata โ29% |
| Transitone ride | Rs 40$0.13 | โน 12$0.14 | Colombo โ7% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rs 3,000$10 | โน 400$4.76 | Kolkata โ52% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rs 15,000$50 | โน 3,600$42.9 | Kolkata โ14% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rs 90,000$300 | โน 11,000$131 | Kolkata โ56% |
| Laundry | Rs 400$1.33 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ37% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rs 2,000$6.67 | โน 350$4.17 | Kolkata โ38% |
| Haircutcut | Rs 1,000$3.33 | โน 200$2.38 | Kolkata โ29% |
| Massage1 hour | Rs 6,000$20 | โน 1,000$11.9 | Kolkata โ40% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rs 8,000$26.7 | โน 1,500$17.9 | Kolkata โ33% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rs 3,750$12.5 | โน 500$5.95 | Kolkata โ52% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Colombo or Kolkata?
Kolkata is 36% cheaper than Colombo. Daily budget $86.7 vs $65.3; a month $1,268 vs $668.
Which is easier to travel, Colombo or Kolkata?
About the same: Colombo 2.4/5, Kolkata 2.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Colombo and Kolkata?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Colombo is about $1,268 and Kolkata about $668 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.