The honest guide to what things cost
Sri Lanka, at the price a local would call fair.
Tea hills, leopards, a train that crosses the clouds. Almost none of it comes with a price tag. We tell you what each thing should cost, so the only surprises are the good kind.
Know before you go
What should it cost?
Private driver
for a car with driver, fuel included, on a multi-day trip
Tuk-tuk
on an app or a working meter
Train tickets
for a reserved seat booked directly
Entrance fees
official foreign visitor price for Sigiriya
Safari
per adult entry, plus a private half-day jeep shared by your group
Airport transfer
by car on PickMe or Uber, about US$9–14
SIM card and data
depending on data allowance, roughly 8 GB to 25 GB
ETA visa
since 25 May 2026. You still have to apply
How it works
Three steps to a trip with no awkward bills
Learn the going rate
Ten minutes with the price guides and you will know a fair fare from a hopeful one.
Draw your route
The planner turns your dates and interests into a loop, with honest hours on the road.
Fix the price
Ask for a driver quote. One figure, everything in, agreed before you fly.
Worth knowing
Five scripts you can stop before they start
Sri Lanka is among the safer countries in Asia to travel. What visitors meet is petty overcharging, and it follows a script every time.
Tuk-tuk overcharging
Nobody is out to ruin your holiday. A few drivers would simply like you to pay triple, and they have three well-worn ways of asking.
02Commission stops
The detour is always brief, always on the way, and always ends beside a till.
03The gem investment pitch
Sapphires made this island famous long before tourism did. That history is the hook.
04Train ticket resale
The seats vanish in minutes, then reappear on the pavement at eight times the price.
05ETA copycat websites
The most expensive part of a Sri Lankan visa is clicking the wrong link.
Private drivers
A driver at a price you can check
Most independent journeys here are made with a private driver, and most complaints are about extras and shopping stops. Ours is a simple standard.
One fixed price
Fuel, tolls, and your driver's meals and lodging are all inside the quote. Nothing appears later.
No commission stops
No gem shops, spice gardens or batik factories unless you ask. It is written into every booking.
Shown against the fair rate
Each quote sits beside the going day rate, so you can judge it for yourself.
Someone to call
One contact for the whole journey if plans change or something goes wrong.