Average Salary in Sri Lanka 2026
Currency: LKR · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Sri Lanka make?
Average Monthly Salary
56,120 LKR
( 673,440 LKR yearly )
~ 184 USD per month ( 2,208 USD yearly )
LOW
16,775 LKR
55 USD
AVERAGE
56,120 LKR
184 USD
HIGH
168,360 LKR
552 USD
A person working in Sri Lanka typically earns around 56,120 LKR per month. Salaries range from 16,775 LKR (lowest average) to 168,360 LKR (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Sri Lanka
Median and salary distribution monthly Sri Lanka
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (50,630 LKR) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (56,120 LKR) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)336,720 LKR
- 2–5 Years (Junior)437,675 LKR
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)572,485 LKR
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)673,440 LKR
- 15+ Years (Senior)808,250 LKR
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School404,125 LKR
- Certificate471,530 LKR
- Associate538,630 LKR
- Bachelor's673,440 LKR
- Master's808,250 LKR
- PhD942,755 LKR
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Sri Lanka
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Sri Lanka earn 6% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Sri Lanka
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
12%
Average Raise
13 months
Review Frequency
6%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Sri Lanka are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 13 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Sri Lanka is 6%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Sri Lanka
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
55%
Received Bonus
45%
No Bonus
55% of surveyed staff in Sri Lanka reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
7%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal909,205 LKR
- Aviation875,350 LKR
- Information Technology875,350 LKR
- Banking841,800 LKR
- Pharmaceuticals841,800 LKR
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 1,683,600 LKR | 140,300 LKR |
| Pilot | 1,346,880 LKR | 112,240 LKR |
| Software Developer | 1,212,070 LKR | 100,955 LKR |
| Data Scientist | 1,144,970 LKR | 95,465 LKR |
| Financial Manager | 1,077,565 LKR | 89,670 LKR |
| Database Administrator | 1,010,160 LKR | 84,180 LKR |
| Engineer | 942,755 LKR | 78,690 LKR |
| Marketing Manager | 875,350 LKR | 72,895 LKR |
| Project Manager | 841,800 LKR | 70,150 LKR |
| Accountant | 740,845 LKR | 61,610 LKR |
| Hotel Manager | 673,440 LKR | 56,120 LKR |
| Nurse | 606,035 LKR | 50,630 LKR |
| Graphic Designer | 572,485 LKR | 47,580 LKR |
| Chef | 505,080 LKR | 42,090 LKR |
| Teacher | 471,530 LKR | 39,345 LKR |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | 774,395 LKR |
| Colombo | 706,990 LKR |
| Kandy | 706,990 LKR |
| Galle | 706,990 LKR |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
53,375 LKR
Private Sector
58,865 LKR
Public Sector
+10%
Public sector employees in Sri Lanka earn 10% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Sri Lanka
305 LKR
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Sri Lanka is 305 LKR. This means that the average person in Sri Lanka earns approximately 305 LKR for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Sri Lanka
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
4,270 LKR
/month
Food
1,525 LKR
/month
Transport
610 LKR
/month
Utilities
610 LKR
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Sri Lanka and explore top-paying jobs.