Spending Diary: 3 Weeks in Sri Lanka for £400 All Inclusive

Before any trip, one of your most burning of questions is probably “how much money do I need to take?” So, how much does a trip to Sri Lanka cost? The answer is, not very much! You’ll be pleased to hear that one of my favourite destinations all year was also one of the most financially viable.

Below is everything we spent in Sri Lanka across a 3 week (exactly 21 nights) for two adults. This is all inclusive of accommodation, transport, food and any activities and entertainment. Basically, everything except flights and travel insurance!

If you are thinking of visiting Sri Lanka, now is the best time to go – read why here! – because the government have made the visas free and lots of airlines are offering low-cost direct flights (around £400 return from the UK!).

If you haven’t arranged your travel insurance yet then this blog post is a must read! You can get 15% off of any policy by using the code ‘BESACFU19’ here*.

*not an affiliate link

What about press stays?

If you follow me on Instagram then you’ll know I did a few press stays in Sri Lanka. Of course this did impact my spending, but it didn’t mean we saved money, rather that we just got to stay in a few nicer places. The impact on my budget was still the same, and in fact sometimes even meant I spent a little more as facilities, extras and food etc at more upmarket hotels inevitable cost more! Basically, this budget is ultra accurate if you want an awesome and cheap 3 weeks in Sri Lanka.

What about the Tuktuk?

I had a $10 per day discount on the cost of our self-drive Tuktuk that we rented, so bare that in mind when pricing up for your own trip. You can however save by using the code ‘BETH’ when you hire via Tuktuk Rental!

Activities

This budget includes two safaris (x 2 adults) and two scuba dives (x 2 adults) so the ‘activities and entertainment’ portion of our spending is relatively high!

There are some items on there, such as toiletries, laundry and SIM cards that you may not need if you’re just on holiday! However, if your usual SIM does not work in Sri Lanka, I highly recommend buying one from the airport.

All prices are inclusive of TWO people.

How much money do I need for 21 days in Sri Lanka?

Accommodation: £156.91

• Cheapest night: £5.94 at a guest house
• Most expensive night: £70.03 at a B&B
• Average cost per night (private double ensuite room w/ breakfast): £11.22

Food: £96.60

• Cheapest meal: £1.12 (rotti and curry sauce)
• Most expensive meal: £17.33 room service at a hotel
• Average dinner cost (local food for 2 adults): £7.41

Transport: £243.13

• Tuktuk rental: £173.25 (21 x $10)
• Petrol & oil: £38.37
• Taxis (Uber to/from airport etc): £16.52
• Train tickets Nuwara Eliya > Ella (3rd class standing): 75p
• Parking: 46p

Entertainment & activities: £221.73

• Wilpattu Safari (National Park & jeep fees): £66.30
• Minneriya Elephant Safari (National Park & jeep fees): £56.41
• Scuba diving (certified fun dives in Trincomalee): £99.03

Alcohol: £56.67

• Cocktail & beer on the beach at Mirissa: £3.03
• Bill settle from drinking in a hotel: £53.64 (yes, I regretted not sticking to water!) 

Toiletries: £9.31

Laundry: £12.89

SIM cards: £14.01

Tips: £14.54

Daily average: £37.14

TOTAL SPENDING: £817.10

 

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