Fair price guide
Do you know what a private driver should cost in Sri Lanka?
The island is small on the map and slow on the road, which is why most travellers hand the wheel to someone who knows every bend. Here is what that should cost, and where the bill tends to grow.
The fair price
US$50–80 per day
for a car with driver, fuel included, on a multi-day trip
A private car with driver is how most independent visitors get around. A fair all-in day rate for a standard car is about US$50–80. The rate itself is rarely the problem. The extras are.
What you should pay
| What | Fair price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard car, up to 3 passengers | US$50–80 per day | Fuel and driver included |
| Multi-day local-currency rate | LKR 14,000–18,000 per day | All-inclusive driver costs |
| Extra kilometres over the daily limit | about US$0.40 per km | Ask what the daily limit is |
| Tip | LKR 1,000–2,500 per day | Customary, not compulsory |
How to pay the fair price
- Get the full price in writing before you pay anything, and ask exactly what it covers.
- Ask whether the driver's meals and overnight accommodation are included. On multi-day trips they are often billed separately.
- Ask about highway tolls, the daily kilometre limit, and surcharges for airport pickups or late-night drives.
- Say at the start that you do not want unplanned stops at gem shops, spice gardens or batik factories.
Red flags
- A day rate far below US$50. The driver usually makes up the difference in shop commissions.
- A driver who cannot tell you the kilometre limit or what happens when you exceed it.
- Pressure to pay the whole trip in cash on day one.
Related scam: Commission stops. Some drivers earn commission from gem shops, batik factories, spice gardens and Ayurveda clinics. Unplanned stops at these places are a near-universal complaint about private drivers.
Rather have the price settled before you land?
Tell us where you want to go. We reply with one all-inclusive figure for car and driver, with no shopping stops along the way.