Is Sri Lanka Cheap: Detailed Budget Travel to Sri Lanka (2023)

After a monthSri Lankaexploring the west, south, center and north of the country I totaled up our travel budget for Sri Lanka and was surprised to find out that Sri Lanka is the cheapest country I have traveled to so far!

In this post, you'll find a full breakdown of Sri Lanka travel budgets and smart budget-saving tips to get the most bang for your buck in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka travel budget

Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). We greatly appreciate it if you use our shopping links :-).

Budget travel Sri Lanka

When we traveled aroundSoutheast Asiaour daily budget was usually approx€60 per day(€30 per person).

UNew ZealandUJapan, it was around €100 per day (€50 per person). However, ohOur daily budget in Sri Lanka was only €44 per day (€22 per person)!

Is Sri Lanka cheap? Yes it is!

In the infographic below, you'll find a detailed budget breakdown of our travel expenses for Sri Lanka, and you can see exactly how much we spent on accommodation, transportation, food, activities and our visa.

The purpose of the infographic and this Sri Lanka budget post is to give you a quick overview of how much (or rather how little) you can spend during your Sri Lanka tour.

However, it's important to remember that the amount you spend will depend on your travel style, the length of your trip and the type of accommodation you choose.

How much money do I need to backpack in Sri Lanka?

In general, you can travel around Sri Lanka on a budget of 25-50 USD per day (per person).

On a budget of $25 per day, you can stay in cheap hotels, travel by public transport, enjoy the (many) free activities that Sri Lanka has to offer and eat (delicious) local food.

On the other hand, with $50 per day you can opt for more luxurious accommodation (there are some nice boutique hotels in Sri Lanka), book a few organized tours and spend a bit more on food and transport.

All in all, Sri Lanka is a beautiful country waiting to be explored. Sri Lankans have had a tough few years, with the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka, the COVID-19 disease and the subsequent lack of tourists, and hyperinflation in the second half of 2022.

What I'm trying to say is: your money will go a long way in this beautiful and hospitable country and you can support many people who depend on the tourism industry.

Sri Lanka on a Budget: Key Facts and Figures

• I traveled to Sri Lanka with my husband, all expenses mentioned in this Sri Lanka travel budget arefor the two of ustogether.
• I state the pricesSri Lankan Rupees (LKR)as well as € and $. When we were in Sri Lanka,€1 was about 160 LKRU1 dollar was about 150 LKR.However, due to hyperinflation, it is significantly different today. Be sure to check the current exchange rateCAR. com.
• I spent almost a full month in Sri Lanka,26 danaTo be precise. In total we spent 182,000 LKR/1144€/1222$, which is on average7000LKR/44€/47$ per day for us as a couple.
• Budget allocation includesall our expenses in Sri Lanka, but does not include our airfare to Sri Lanka.
• i also haveexcluding diving costswe did it in sri lanka because this is not an activity that everyone would do and it is relatively expensive. I've added more information about diving in the activities section later in this post.
• My trip started and ended in Colombo (Negombo Airportto be precise).

How to save money when planning a trip to Sri Lanka

As mentioned above, traveling Sri Lanka on a budget is definitely possible. However, it's important to plan carefully, look for discounts and be flexible with your itinerary to make the most of your Sri Lanka travel budget.

I hope this post gives you an idea of ​​the cost of traveling to Sri Lanka, as well as some practical tips on how to stretch your travel budget.

Avoid peak season (travel off-season instead)

Start by researching the best time of year to visit Sri Lanka as flight and hotel prices vary throughout the year.

There are two distinct monsoon seasons in Sri Lanka (JalaUA lots of), and as such two high seasons.

• FromSouthwest MonsoonIt is calledJalaand lasts from May to September (although the most rain falls in May and June).
• After,From December to Marchthe busiest months are on the west and south coasts of Sri Lanka, as well as in the hills and mountains around Ella and Haputale,
• On the other side,Northeast MonsoonIt is calledA lots ofand lasts from December to February.
• Therefore, the main season on the east coast (Arugam Bay) and the north of Sri Lanka (Jaffna) is fromFrom May to October.

Accommodation prices are highest in those months. If you have the ability to be flexible with your travel dates and travel off-season (just before or after the monsoon season), this is a great way to save money on your trip to Sri Lanka.

Save money on flights

You can search for discounts on flights to Sri Lanka on websites such asStone. p. Try different travel dates and see how it affects the price of your flight.

Generally, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly. Airlines often offer discounts on these days, so it's worth checking booking sites and comparing prices for different days of the week.

You will get a better deal by booking your flight in advance. For international flights, it is best to book 2-8 months in advance.

Finally, you may be able to find cheap flights if you are willing to be flexible with departure and arrival times.

Of course, arriving in the middle of the night isn't ideal, but if it saves you hundreds of dollars, a good night's sleep is well worth it.

✈️Click here to find the best ticket deals

Book your accommodation in advance

Once you've booked your flights, it's time to research affordable accommodation. I always useAgodaUBookingto find the best ratio of price and quality of accommodation for our trips.

I recommend checking both platforms before booking to make sure you get the best deals.

Please note thatAgodaincludes taxes in their price whileBookingdoes not always include this. Be sure to check before finalizing your reservation.

If you are in a country with high ATM fees or a limit on the amount of cash you can withdraw per transaction, it would also be betterbook with Agodabecause you can often pay online with your credit card (reducing the need for cash).

Travel costs Sri Lanka: our average daily budget

Now that you know some great ways to save money in the planning stages of your trip to Sri Lanka, it's time to take a deep dive into our costs in Sri Lanka.

Budget for backpacking in Sri Lanka

1. Accommodation:36%daily travel expenses
2. transport:6%daily travel expenses
3. Food:36%daily travel expenses
4. Paid activities:13%daily travel expenses
5. Visa:6%daily travel expenses
6. Mixed:4%daily travel expenses

1. Accommodation costs in Sri Lanka

During our trip we stayed in private rooms in private homes and hotels that I booked throughAgodaUBooking.

Hotel room prices varied between 1000LKR (6€/7$) and 4000LKR (25€/27$), but on average we paid2500LKR/16€/17$at night.

Remark:our trip to sri lanka was a few years ago and the prices have gone up. However, there is still plenty of excellent value accommodation in Sri Lanka.

Although we have personally stayed at most of the hotels in the table, some of the hotels we stayed at during our trip are no longer available due to Covid-19.

I did my best to find a suitable alternative which I was happy to book.

I list the prices of cheap accommodation in Sri Lanka in USD and EUR. Check back for current exchange rates forSri Lankan Rupees (LKR)opCAR. com.

I wrote a separate post about itour affordable accommodation in Sri Lankain case you want to read more about these hotels.

Remark:The prices of these hotels depend on the time of year and how far in advance you book. The above prices are therefore a rough indication of the price per night to help you compare the different options. Use 'click here' to see the latest pricesAgodaUBookingand book in advance to get the best deal.

2. Transportation costs in Sri Lanka

Let's take a closer look at transport in Sri Lanka. There are many ways to travel around the country, such as trains, buses, taxis and tuk tuks and vans.

An affordable way to travel in Sri Lanka is to take a local bus. Bus services are available in all major cities and even most small towns and are a great way to get around Sri Lanka.

Bus rides are quite a chaotic affair, but great fun, with loud Sri Lankan music blaring from the speakers and a bus honking loudly at every corner.

This is a great way to explore parts of Sri Lanka where there are no train tracks. However, one of the best ways to explore Sri Lanka is by train. I really enjoyed my train journey in Sri Lanka!

In fact, one of the most beautifultrain ridesin the world it flows from Badulla to Haputale. The train ticket for this amazing journey costs only 80LKR/€0.50/$0.50 per person.

tuk tuk drivingthey are somewhat more expensive and require certain negotiation skills. But still very affordable compared to taxi prices anywhere in the world.

All in all the (public) transport in Sri Lanka is really much cheaper than any other country I've visited, which basically means you can visit more nicer places without spending any money!

Average transportation costs were400LKR/€2.50/$2.75 per day. Detailed information about traveling from A to B in Sri Lanka can be found atthis post.

3. Price of food in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has a wide variety of delicious and unique culinary options that are worth trying. Some of the must-try dishes are:

• stab:a dish of rice and curry steamed in a banana leaf
• Kottu roti:flatbread and vegetable dish (picture above)
• Champignons:sweet and spicy onion seasoning
• Containers:a type of bowl-shaped pancake.

For dessert, you must try watalappan, a custard-like dessert made from coconut milk and jaggery.

How much did we spend on food and drink in Sri Lanka?

Good news: Sri Lankan food is not only very tasty, but also very affordable. That is if you eat local food in local restaurants. Eating Western food always triples the cost of dinner when traveling through Asia.

So when it comes to food, explore local markets and eat at local restaurants to find cheap meals. Try the delicious street food whenever you have the chance!

Anyway, let's talk numbers.

We rarely spent more than 500LKR/3€/3.50$ per person on a meal, and more often it was only 100-250LKR per person!

As mentioned above, there are many delicious dishes that you can try such as coconut roti, egg roti, vegetable roti, fennel, rice and curry, and many more. Fruit juice is also widely available (pineapple is my favorite) and usually costs between LKR 100-200 per glass.

We spent on average2500LKR/16€/17$ per day. This includes the cost of water, a 1.5 liter bottle costs LKR 70-80.

4. Costs of activities in Sri Lanka

Be sure to take advantage of the many free activities that Sri Lanka has to offer, such as trekking in Ella (or any of Sri Lanka's 26 national parks), exploring the tea estates in Haputale, visiting cultural sites in Kandy and diving in Talalla.

This will help you get the most out of your vacation while staying within your budget.

When planning your trip to Sri Lanka, it's worth checking out tour companies that offer affordable tours that can save you money and still have a great experience.

Lookis the largest tour operator in Asia, butGet your guidehas also been working very hard to increase its offerings, so be sure to check out those websites as well when planning your activities in Sri Lanka.

Some of the most worthwhile tours and activities in Sri Lanka are:

• Private tour of the city of Colombo:visit major Colombo attractions such as the National Museum, enjoy views of the Indian Ocean along the Galle Face, dive into the bustling Pettah Market, admire the Gangaram Temple and more.Availability check.
• One day trip to Sigiriya and Dambulla (from Colombo): Visit the historic Sigiriya rock fort and explore the grand Dambulla cave temple complex on a full-day tour from Colombo with a private driver.Availability check.
• Safari in Udawalawa National Park: Explore untouched wilderness and untouched nature as you search for herds of elephants and other animals with your experienced guide.Availability check.
• Ella Rock Sunrise Hike (Guided): Hike early in the morning to Ella Rock to catch the sunrise with a beautiful view of the Hill Country (as this part of Sri Lanka is often called), mountains and valleys.Availability check.
• Half day trip to Anuradhapura:explore sacred places in Anuradhapura such as Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwaneeliseya and many more. Travel with an expert English-speaking guide and learn about the ancient history of this fascinating temple complex.Availability check.

How much did we spend on activities in Sri Lanka?

On average, we spent 900LKR/€5.50/$6) per day on activities. In Colombo, Galle and Kandy, we did some city sightseeing. On the south coast, we went diving, snorkeling and surfing.

We did some walking in Ella and Haputale, and in the north we explored Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Jaffna. Below you will find details of all our paid activities:

Of course, we did a lot more during our month-long trip to Sri Lanka, but the rest of the activities were free!

Remark:I did not include the cost of diving. We went diving in WeligamaI have never been to Bay Dive Center. We paid $60 per person for 2 dives (including equipment, water and fresh fruit).

5. Visa fees for Sri Lanka

We signed upon the linefor an e-visa for Sri Lanka. The visa was $35 and we paid online by credit card, which was a simple quick process.

Just like at customs in Sri Lanka. Since we spent 26 days in the country, the average daily cost for the visa was400LKR/2,50€/2,75$.

6. Miscellaneous expenses in Sri Lanka

Some random expenses in our Sri Lanka travel budget were laundry, mosquito repellent, toothpaste, and (very important if you're trying to blog while traveling) a local SIM card with plenty of data.

We bought a SIM card from Dialog, they have different plans, but it is important to know that all plans are day/night.

This means that you get part of the data for use between 08:00 and 00:00, and you can use the other part of data only between 00:00 and 08:00.

In any case, we spent on average300LKR/2€/2$ per dayon various items.

7. Travel insurance costs

I did not include the costtravel insurancein our budget for Sri Lanka as we use our travel insurance for all our trips and not just our Sri Lanka itinerary.

However, that doesn't take away from itit is very important to have good travel insurance.

It helps protect you and your belongings in the event of an accident during your trip. In addition, it includes coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost or stolen items and more.

Also, good travel insurance will give you peace of mind knowing you have a safety net if something goes wrong.

With so much to consider when planning a trip,have the right travel insurancecan help ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip without the stress of things that can go wrong.

Plan your trip like a pro with these tools:
✈️ Find the best flight offers onStone. p.
? Take advantage of the best car rental offer for your tripRentalcars.com.
?️ Find your dream accommodation inReservation. comfromAgoda.
? Book the best toursGet your guide,ViatorfromLook.
? Plan your trip withLonely planet.
?️ Travel safely and take out reliable travel insuranceSafety wing.

Budget Sri Lanka: Finally

So for all those wondering: how much will it cost to travel to Sri Lanka, now you have the answer! I hope this post has convinced you to travel to Sri Lanka, it is a beautiful and very affordable country.

You can download the budget infographic below. Feel free to ask any questions by leaving a comment orby sending me an email.

This post was updated in December 2022.