What a night costs
| 🛏️ Hostel dorm bed | $8–$14/night |
| 🚪 Private room (hostel/guesthouse) | $20–$35/night |
| 🏨 Budget hotel / Airbnb room | $28–$50/night |
Full backpacker daily budget for Sri Lanka (bed + food + local transport + fun): about $30/day shoestring or $50/day flashpacker.
Where to stay
One night near Fort station, then move on — Sri Lanka's magic is Ella, Mirissa, Arugam Bay.
Local tip
💡 Guesthouses beat hostels across Sri Lanka: $15–25 gets a family-run room with breakfast.
The clean-bed formula
Filter to rating ≥ 8.3 with 150+ reviews, then read the recent negative reviews — that's where the cleanliness truth lives. Prefer free-cancellation rates; plans change, especially yours.