The 2-minute guide
Start here: Sri Lanka as a house
Imagine Sri Lanka is one big house. This guide follows the money in seven short steps.
Step 1 of 7
Imagine Sri Lanka is one big house
Everyone who lives in it pays in. The house spends that money on food, health, schooling, repairs and building work. Everyone living in the house has the right to know where the money goes.
Step 2 of 7
Everyone pays in
Rs 5.49 trillion
In 2025 the government collected Rs 5.49 trillion in taxes, other income and grants.
That is about Rs 21,012 for each person every month, on average.
Step 3 of 7
The house spends it
Of every Rs 100 in the 2026 budget, these are the largest parts.
- Debt servicing (interest and repayments)Rs 49.7
- Defence and securityRs 7.0
- Provincial councilsRs 6.9
- PensionsRs 6.3
- HealthRs 5.8
Everything else together: Rs 19.7
Step 4 of 7
It spends more than it earns
Rs 745 billion
In 2025 the government spent Rs 6.23 trillion and collected Rs 5.49 trillion. The gap of Rs 745 billion had to be borrowed.
Spending here is before repaying loans.
Step 5 of 7
So it borrows
Rs 29.99 trillion
At the end of 2025 the central government owed Rs 29.99 trillion. At the end of 2008 it owed Rs 3.59 trillion.
Step 6 of 7
The loans cost money
Rs 2.62 trillion
In 2026 the budget sets aside Rs 2.62 trillion for loan interest alone.
That is more than education, health and pensions put together (Rs 1.39 trillion).
- That is about Rs 7.2 billion every day.
- That is about 4.1 times the defence and security budget in the same Act.
Step 7 of 7
It is your right to know
Budgets LK shows the numbers from the official gazettes and the Central Bank. It gives no opinions. Look at the figures and decide for yourself.