Car Rental in Colombo
Colombo has more vehicles listed on ROFI than anywhere else in Sri Lanka, which means you can usually get the car you actually want rather than whatever is left on the lot. Owners across the city and the suburbs — Colombo 3 to Colombo 15, Dehiwala, Rajagiriya, Nugegoda, Kotte — rent their cars out directly, self-drive or with a driver.
Most owners will bring the vehicle to you, whether that is a hotel in Kollupitiya, an office in Fort or an apartment in Battaramulla. There is no counter to find and no queue to join.
Available now
See all 201
LKR 5,000.00/ dayNissan March
Piliyandala
Self-drive 
LKR 5,750.00/ dayProton Savvy A
Colombo 13
With driver 
LKR 6,300.00/ daySuzuki Alto L
Dehiwala
LKR 6,500.00/ dayNissan Dayz
Nugegoda
LKR 6,900.00/ daySuzuki Wagon-R
Kaduwela
LKR 7,000.00/ daySuzuki Wagon-R 5
Moratuwa
LKR 7,000.00/ daySuzuki Wagon-R FX
Kotte
LKR 7,500.00/ daySuzuki Hustler
Kaduwela
LKR 7,500.00/ dayDaihatsu Hi Jet
Kaduwela
LKR 7,500.00/ daySuzuki Every Wagon Turbo
Kaduwela
LKR 7,500.00/ dayDaihatsu Mira L Grade
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
LKR 7,500.00/ daySuzuki Wagon-R
Malabe
Driving in Colombo
Traffic is heavy from seven to nine thirty in the morning and from four to seven in the evening, and Galle Road is the worst of it. An automatic is worth paying a little more for. Parking in Fort and Kollupitiya is mostly paid and mostly tight, so a compact car is easier to live with than an SUV unless you need the space.
If the thought of all that puts you off, book the car with a driver instead. For a day of meetings across the city it usually works out cheaper than parking and far less tiring.
Getting out of the city
The Southern Expressway puts Galle within ninety minutes and Mirissa within two and a half hours. The airport expressway reaches Katunayake in about forty minutes outside peak times. Kandy is a three to four hour drive up the A1, longer on a Friday.
For a trip into the hill country, take something with a decent engine rather than the cheapest car on the page — the climbs are long and the overtaking is uphill.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to rent a car in Colombo?
The rates on this page are the owners’ own live daily rates. Smaller hatchbacks sit at the bottom of the range and premium vehicles at the top.
Can the car be delivered to my hotel?
Most Colombo owners will deliver within the city. Arrange it with the owner when you book.
Can I rent a car in Colombo and return it elsewhere?
Some owners allow a different return location for a fee. Ask the owner before booking.
Do I need a permit to drive in Colombo on a foreign licence?
Yes, a recognition permit. ROFI arranges these online in one to two working days.