Moving to Sri Lanka from Cuba

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Cuba to Sri Lanka — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Cuba to Sri Lanka, and you’d need to navigate life in Sinhala and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Cuba and Sri Lanka stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

CU
4.4
LK
3.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CU
5.4
LK
11.5

Cuba generally does better on safety, though Sri Lanka leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CU
$2,575
LK
$507
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CU
94.3
LK
11.9

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cuba leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CU
31.0
LK
37.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CU
1.9t
LK
1.1t

Cuba generally does better on environment, though Sri Lanka leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CU
2.9
LK
10.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CU
23.9%
LK
90.8%

Cuba generally does better on infrastructure, though Sri Lanka leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CU
1.2%
LK
6.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CU
$12,300
LK
$13,000

Cuba generally does better on employment & economy, though Sri Lanka leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CU
79.6 yrs
LK
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CU
4.1
LK
8.2

Cuba performs better than Sri Lanka across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Havana Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1189 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Havana Colombo
Jan–Mar 80°/66°F (26°/19°C) 88°/73°F (31°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 88°/77°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) 86°/77°F (30°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) 86°/74°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Havana Colombo
Jan 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C) 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C)
Feb 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C) 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C)
Mar 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C)
Apr 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C) 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C)
May 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C) 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C)
Jun 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C) 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C)
Jul 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C)
Aug 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C)
Sep 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C) 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C)
Oct 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C) 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C)
Nov 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Dec 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C)

Data: Instituto de Meteorología Instituto de Meteorología, National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cuba and Sri Lanka. To live, work, or study long-term in Sri Lanka, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sri Lanka's immigration authority.

Cuba passport

Cuba passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Cuba passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Cuba

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Sri Lanka passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Cuba.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Sri Lanka?

With 10.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sri Lanka can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Cuba and Sri Lanka.

Is Sri Lanka safe for expats?

Cuba generally does better on safety, though Sri Lanka leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Sri Lanka is 3.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.4 in Cuba.

How is healthcare in Sri Lanka compared to Cuba?

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cuba leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 11.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Sri Lanka, compared to 94.3 in Cuba. Sri Lanka scores 67 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cuba: 83).

What's the weather like in Sri Lanka compared to Cuba?

The average high temperature in Colombo is 87°F, compared to 84°F in Havana. Colombo receives around 99.4 in of rainfall per year, while Havana gets 46.8 in.

What language do they speak in Sri Lanka?

The official languages in Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. In Cuba, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CU LK
Population 11,008,112 23,187,516
Currency Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Languages Spanish Sinhala, Tamil
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +53 +94
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 106 119