ColombovsPenang (George Town)
📶
Penang (George Town) has 5x faster internet
100 Mbps avg download speed
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Colombo
Penang (George Town)
Total Budget
$900/mo
$850/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$400/mo
$350/mo ✓
Coworking
$160/mo
$75/mo ✓
Meal Out
$3
$3
Coffee
$2.5 ✓
$3
Penang (George Town) is $50/mo cheaper (6% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇱🇰 Colombo
📶 Internet22 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+5
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East1h
🇬🇧 London6h
🇩🇪 Berlin7h
🇲🇾 Penang (George Town)
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Colombo
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days290/year
Best months: February
Penang (George Town)
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days284/year
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
26°27°
Apr
28°28°
Jul
27°28°
Oct
26°27°
ColomboPenang (George Town)
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇱🇰Colombo
🇲🇾Penang (George Town)
💰
Monthly Budget
$900
$850
📶
Internet Speed
22 Mbps
100 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
3/5
4/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
3.7/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
10/10
Winner🎉
Nightlife
7/10
Winner5/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
7/10
👥
Community
medium
medium
1
Colombo wins
vs
3
Penang (George Town) wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Penang (George Town)
100 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Penang (George Town)
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Penang (George Town)
Better food scene with incredible variety
🎉Party Person
Colombo
World-famous nightlife scene
🇱🇰Colombo
Pros
- +Cost of living still affordable compared to many other Asian capitals
- +Strong food scene with local restaurants, street food and international options
- +Modern coworking spaces and a growing remote worker community
- +Excellent hub to explore the rest of Sri Lanka by train or bus
Cons
- −Hot and humid climate all year with very few truly cool hours
- −Heavy monsoon rains can slow down traffic and outdoor plans
- −Busy roads and constant honking along main streets
- −Sidewalks often broken, blocked or simply missing
🇲🇾Penang (George Town)
Pros
- +Legendary street food scene - Asia's food capital with Char Kway Teow laksa and more
- +Extremely affordable - comfortable living under $850/month
- +UNESCO World Heritage Site - stunning colonial architecture and temples
- +High English proficiency - easy communication everywhere
Cons
- −Hot and humid year-round - 24-32°C with high humidity
- −WiFi historically slower than other destinations - improving with fiber rollout
- −Limited coworking scene compared to KL or Bali
- −Monsoon season September-November brings heavy rain
