Multi Day Hire – What is an Average Cost?
UPDATED SEP 2023
This is not a simple question to answer as the cost depends on many different factors. Average round trip costs are generally between 55 and 65 USD per day for a medium size car or 65 to 70 USD per day for a minivan.
Despite rocketing inflation in Sri Lanka during 2022 the cost of hiring a driver has only increased by about 5 USD mainly due to the stability of the dollar and a decrease in overall numbers of tourists.
The Trip Cost Calculator can calculate and compare the overall cost of a car and driver for a one way or round trip hire.
Where do we Get the Information?
There are 349 drivers registered on this site and listed in the Business Directory. All of them publish their own prices for multi day hires based on our hire terms. The following table gives a summary of these prices.
All prices are per day in USD (Updated 30-09-2023)
| Vehicle | Min | Average | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Car | 45 | 46 | 75 |
| Normal Car | 45 | 55 | 90 |
| Large Car | 45 | 64 | 80 |
| Minivan | 50 | 66 | 110 |
| SUV | 60 | 76 | 150 |
The average of these prices is combined with a further average of prices quoted by drivers on the Get Quotes page of the website. The final figures are used in the calculator below.
What Factors Affect the Cost?
Factors to consider when calculating the cost of a car and driver in Sri Lanka in 2023/2024:
- A freelance driver will normally be 10-20% cheaper than a tour company.
- An older vehicle of a lower specification (i.e. no air conditioning or seat belts) will be cheaper.
- The driver qualification will affect the price. Licensed Tourist Drivers or Tourist Guide Lecturers will often cost more as they double as guides at some tourist attractions.
- Small minicars such as the Tata are becoming popular and will be offered for almost the same price as a tuk tuk (around 100 LKR per km compared to the normal 140 LKR per km for a sedan and 160 LKR per km for a minivan). These vehicles are not comfortable for longer trips and luggage space is severely limited.
- The online reputation of the driver will affect the price. More experienced drivers with better reviews are in higher demand and can be up to 50% more expensive.
- Driver food and accommodation needs to be considered and costs around 10 USD per night if it is not provided by your hotel.
Trip Cost Calculator
Please consider the following before using the Trip Cost Calculator:
- The Trip Cost Calculator only applies to multi day hires. For single day one way hires please see Single Day Hires for prices.
- It is recommended to read Types of Hire before using the calculator.
- You can enter your own values LKR per km in sections 2 and 3 by selecting “Custom”.
- Section 4 must be completed with the info from the trip. For total distance use the Distance Calculator (opens in another window).