What a trip to Sri Lanka costs, and how to pay for tuk-tuks and entry tickets

How to build a budget in rupees, why some tickets for foreigners are sold in dollars and where to withdraw cash.

By Asian standards Sri Lanka is moderately expensive for a tourist, but the spread is huge: hostels and street food are cheap, while resort hotels and private drivers cost noticeably more. Any "average figures" go stale quickly, and the national currency, the Sri Lankan rupee, has swung widely in recent years. Build the budget by category and convert the total into your own currency in our converter at a current rate.

Budget by category

Split costs into accommodation, food, transport (train, bus, tuk-tuk, driver), entry tickets, connectivity and a reserve. For foreigners many sights and national parks sell tickets at a separate rate, often in dollars, and these can be a noticeable part of the budget. Check the price on official resources in advance.

Tuk-tuks and taxis

In a tuk-tuk agree the price beforehand or use the meter if there is one, and in big cities use taxi apps: the price is visible before the ride. For long routes compare the train, the bus and a driver for the day.

Cash and cards

ATMs usually charge a fee for withdrawals with a foreign card and cap the amount per withdrawal, so withdraw less often and more. Exchange money at banks and licensed counters, not hand to hand. Cards are accepted at hotels and large shops, while small stalls and villages need cash. If a terminal offers to charge "in your own currency", choose rupees: the terminal's conversion is usually worse than your bank's rate.