Cost of Living in Ella, 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka - For Locals, Nomads, and Tourists

Researched Updated Nov 12, 2026 Last changed Nov 14, 2026 About costs

Cost breakdown

Digital nomad: short-term stay (1-3 months). Furnished Airbnb or coliving near center, coworking, eating out ~3x/day, travel health insurance.

Expat: long-term resident (1+ years). Renting apartment in center, mix of cooking and dining out, local health insurance, settled lifestyle.

Family: middle-class 4-person family. 2-3 bedroom in suburbs, groceries for 4, international school, car/transport, family health plan.

Local: budget-conscious local resident. Renting outside center, cooking at home, public transport, local phone plan.

Tourist: short-stay visitor (1-14 days). Hotel/Airbnb nightly, all meals at restaurants, taxis, sightseeing.

CategoryCost

Dining Out 8 9 $212 $71 $143 $22 $12

Leisure Activities 14 19 20 22 24 $35 $25 $60 $4 $5

Health Insurance 26 $68 $178 $491 — $2

Visa & Legal Fees 28 29 $42 $42 $167 — —

Housing 2 3 4 5 $539 $270 $847 $135 $44

Utilities 27 $2 $10 $19 $6 —

Internet & Mobile 16 17 18 $6 $25 $27 $25 $1

Groceries 11 12 $50 $116 $271 $77 $4

Transportation 19 20 21 $57 $45 $120 $10 $8

Total $1,011 $782 $2,145 $279 $76

Itemized prices

Local prices converted to the selected currency.

Housing

Airbnb (1 month) 2 $539.00 $361 – $847 per month

Coliving Space 4 $225.62 per month

Apartment (1 bedroom) 4 $135.37 $135 – $316 per month

Coworking Space 6 7 $70.00 per month

Food & Dining

Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) 8 $11.13 per meal

Water (1.5L bottle) 14 $0.45 per bottle

Coffee 10 $1.81 per cup

Beer 9 $2.05 per pint

Meal (Inexpensive) 8 $1.50 per meal

Fast Food Combo 13 $7.61 per meal

Apples 11 $6.77 per kg

Bread 12 $0.42 per loaf

Milk 11 $1.50 per liter

Rice 11 $0.69 per kg

Chicken Fillets 11 $6.77 per kg

Beef 11 $12.49 per kg

Wine (Mid-range) 25 $11.88 per bottle

Transportation

Ride-hailing (5km) 19 $1.41 per trip

Scooter Rental 21 $240.00 per month

Taxi Start 19 $0.33 per trip

Taxi per km 19 $0.27 per km

Monthly Transport Pass 20 $4.50 per month

Gasoline 15 $1.28 per liter

Services

SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) 17 $4.21 one-time

Mobile Plan 16 $2.75 per month

Internet (60 Mbps+) 18 30 $21.92 per month

Gym Membership 22 $15.04 per month

Tennis Court (Weekend) $7.46 per hour

Personal Care

Haircut $1.79 per visit

Laundry $1.49 per kg

Healthcare

Doctor Visit (GP) $5.97 per visit

Pharmacy (basic meds) $2.39 per purchase

Entertainment

Cinema Ticket $3.58 per ticket

Clothing

Jeans $14.92 per pair

Summer Dress $10.44 per dress

Running Shoes $26.85 per pair

About these costs

Method: Researched
Last updated: Nov 12, 2026
Last changed: Nov 14, 2026
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 332.41 LKR on Nov 6, 2026

Checked against the sources below and compared with similar cities. Numbers in the list point to these sources.

Compared with Colombo, Weligama, Galle, Hoi An

Change history

Nov 14, 2026
- Method Generated Researched
- Airbnb (1 month) 238.64 539
- Apartment (1 bedroom) 134.24 135.37
- Apples 1.79 6.77
- Beef 5.37 12.49
- Beer 1.49 2.05
31 more changes
- Bread 0.54 0.42
- Chicken Fillets 3.58 6.77
- Coffee 1.04 1.81
- Coliving Space 178.98 225.62
- Coworking Space 44.75 70
- Dining Out local 17.9, nomad 134.24, expat 59.66, family 89.49, tourist 14.92 local 21.51, nomad 212.09, expat 70.7, family 142.59, tourist 12.48
- Fast Food Combo 3.58 7.61
- Gasoline 1.1 1.28
- Groceries local 59.66, nomad 14.92, expat 74.58, family 149.15, tourist 0 local 77.33, nomad 50.26, expat 115.99, family 270.65, tourist 4.1
- Gym Membership 11.93 15.04
- Health Insurance local 0, nomad 35.8, expat 44.75, family 89.49 local 0, nomad 68.13, expat 177.5, family 491.27, tourist 2.24
- Housing local 44.75, nomad 193.9, expat 119.32, family 164.07, tourist 23.86 local 135.37, nomad 539, expat 269.5, family 847, tourist 44.29
- Internet & Mobile local 4.47, nomad 17.9, expat 11.93, family 14.92, tourist 1.49 local 24.67, nomad 6, family 27.43, tourist 0.98
- Internet (60 Mbps+) 10.44 21.92
- Leisure Activities local 5.97, nomad 44.75, expat 29.83, family 35.8, tourist 8.95 local 3.85, nomad 34.84, expat 24.94, family 59.78, tourist 4.69
- Meal (Inexpensive) 1.79 1.5
- Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) 14.92 11.13
- Milk 0.75 1.5
- Mobile Plan 2.39 2.75
- Monthly Transport Pass 14.92 4.5
- Rice 0.66 0.69
- Ride-hailing (5km) 1.79 1.41
- SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) 4.47 4.21
- Scooter Rental 5.97 240
- Taxi Start 0.89 0.33
- Taxi per km 0.45 0.27
- Transportation local 8.95, nomad 29.83, expat 23.86, family 44.75, tourist 4.47 local 10.16, nomad 57.36, expat 44.87, family 119.66, tourist 8.48
- Utilities local 8.95, nomad 0, expat 14.92, family 20.88, tourist 0 local 5.54, nomad 1.9, expat 9.87, family 19.31, tourist 0
- Visa & Legal Fees local 0, nomad 14.92, expat 29.83, family 44.75 local 0, nomad 41.67, expat 41.67, family 166.67
- Water (1.5L bottle) 0.36 0.45
- Wine (Mid-range) 10.44 11.88
Utilities, Coworking Space and Visa & Legal Fees — electricity tariff checked against the regulator, cafe work distinguished from a dedicated desk, and official visa fees retained with explicit household assumptions (immigration.gov.lk).

Ella cost of living