Moving to Sri Lanka from Yemen

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Yemen to Sri Lanka, you would find that Sri Lanka is 40.0% cheaper than Yemen overall. A YER17,863,500 salary in Yemen would need to be roughly LKR18,768,175 in Sri Lanka to maintain the same lifestyle, 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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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Yemen to Sri Lanka.

What does your salary buy?

YER17,863,500 LKR18,768,175

To maintain the same standard of living in Sri Lanka

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 43.0% less

Groceries

pay 32.5% less

Transportation

pay 47.4% less

Housing

pay 24.2% less

Childcare

pay 67.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 YER = 1.41 LKR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Yemen 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

YE
6.3
LK
3.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

YE
29.8
LK
11.5

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Yemen across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

YE
$169
LK
$507
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

YE
2.9
LK
11.9

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Yemen leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

YE
109.0
LK
37.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

YE
0.3t
LK
1.1t

Yemen generally does better on environment, though Sri Lanka leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

YE
1.4
LK
10.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

YE
169.8%
LK
90.8%

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Yemen across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

YE
17.2%
LK
6.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

YE
$2,500
LK
$13,000

Sri Lanka generally does better on employment & economy, though Yemen leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

YE
67.5 yrs
LK
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

YE
46.5
LK
8.2

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Yemen across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Yemen Tax Authority

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Yemen 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.

Yemen passport

Yemen passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

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

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Yemen

Visa Required
Sri Lanka passport holders need a visa to enter Yemen.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Sri Lanka than Yemen?

Generally yes: Sri Lanka runs about 25% cheaper than Yemen on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Sri Lanka?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a YER17,863,500 comparable salary, that's around LKR4,692,044 in Sri Lanka for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

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 Yemen and Sri Lanka.

Is Sri Lanka safe for expats?

Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Yemen across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sri Lanka is 3.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Yemen.

How is healthcare in Sri Lanka compared to Yemen?

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Yemen leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 11.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Sri Lanka, compared to 2.9 in Yemen. Sri Lanka scores 67 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Yemen: 42).

What language do they speak in Sri Lanka?

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

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At a Glance

YE LK
Population 30,984,689 23,187,516
Currency Yemeni Rial (YER) Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Languages Arabic Sinhala, Tamil
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +967 +94
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119