Land for sale in Colombo 8 (Borella), Sri Lanka
Land in Colombo 8 is advertised at LKR 6,000,000 to LKR 17,000,000 per perch (asking prices, November 2026, 9 live plots on Perch & Acre); here is what is for sale.
Colombo 8 is Borella, east of Cinnamon Gardens and next to Rajagiriya and Nawala. It is a mixed, multi-ethnic area with well-known schools, the Royal Colombo Golf Club, the P. Sara Oval cricket ground and Kanatte, the city's main cemetery since 1840.
Which land and houses are for sale in Colombo 8 right now?
Open Colombo in the map search
How much does land cost in Colombo 8?
We do not publish a median for Colombo 8, because one agency supplies 5 of the 9 plots, more than a third. The 9 live plots are advertised at LKR 6,000,000 to LKR 17,000,000 per perch, or LKR 61,740,000 to LKR 544,000,000 for the whole plot (about USD 186,000 to USD 1,636,000). The 3 houses listed here, land included, run from LKR 80,000,000 to LKR 150,000,000. These are asking prices, not sale prices.
What is listed in Colombo 8?
Of the 12 live listings here today, 9 plots of land and 3 houses, listed by 5 agencies. The plots run from 8.82 to 38.5 perches; 1 perch is 25.29 m² and 160 perches make an acre.
Planning, street lines and the coastal zone: what to check in Colombo 8
In the city and its suburbs the checks are about planning rather than the beach. In areas declared under the Urban Development Authority Law, building needs a development permit under the UDA Planning and Development Regulations 2021, and a newly subdivided lot must be at least 150 m² (about 6 perches), or 250 m² without pipe-borne water. Ask the local authority (municipal or urban council) for the street line and building line certificates and a non-vesting certificate, which confirms that the land is not being acquired, for example for road widening. Colombo 8 is inland; on a main road ask for the street line certificate early, as it shows any road reservation across the frontage.
Buying guides for Colombo 8
- Can a foreigner buy land in Sri Lanka?
- Buying an apartment in Sri Lanka as a foreigner
- The 99-year lease in Sri Lanka explained
- Buying land in Sri Lanka from abroad: a guide for diaspora buyers and dual citizens
- Buying property in Sri Lanka on a visa: what each visa allows in 2026
- How to send money to Sri Lanka to buy property (and get it out again)
- How to check a land deed in Sri Lanka: title search, extracts and survey plan
- Stamp duty, legal fees and the real cost of buying land in Sri Lanka
Can a foreigner buy land or a house in Colombo 8?
Not freehold. Since the Land (Restrictions on Alienation) Act No. 38 of 2014 a foreign national cannot take freehold title to land anywhere in Sri Lanka, Colombo 8 included, and a house goes with its land. A foreigner can lease land for up to 99 years or inherit it, and dual citizens are exempt. Read can a foreigner buy land in Sri Lanka and the 99-year lease explained.
Can a foreigner buy an apartment in Colombo 8?
Yes, a condominium apartment. Since Amendment Act No. 21 of 2018 a foreigner may buy a condominium parcel on any floor, freehold, provided the full price is paid upfront by inward foreign remittance before the deed is executed. The building must have a registered condominium plan. See buying an apartment in Sri Lanka as a foreigner.
What does it cost to buy land in Colombo 8 on top of the price?
Budget 5% to 7% on top of the purchase price: stamp duty of 3% on the first Rs 100,000 and 4% on the balance, legal fees of 1% to 2%, plus survey and registration. For a 99-year lease, stamp duty is 2% of the aggregate rent instead (since 1 April 2025); confirm the rates with your lawyer. Full breakdown: stamp duty, legal fees and the real cost of buying land.
I live abroad. How do I buy in Colombo 8?
Sri Lankan citizens abroad and dual citizens buy as citizens. Send the money through an Inward Investment Account in your own name so the remittance is documented, have your own lawyer run a 30-year title search, and sign in person or through a power of attorney your lawyer prepares. See buying land in Sri Lanka from abroad and sending money to buy property.
Nearby towns
Land for sale in Colombo 7, Kotte, Colombo 5, Colombo 3. More of Colombo District: Colombo 4, Colombo 6, Battaramulla, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Nugegoda, Thalawathugoda, Malabe, Kesbewa, Boralesgamuwa, Moratuwa, Athurugiriya, Pannipitiya, Maharagama, all of Colombo, or every town.
Sources
- Borella (Colombo 8): Kanatte cemetery (1840), Royal Colombo Golf Club, P. Sara Oval, schools, next to Cinnamon Gardens, Rajagiriya and Nawala, Wikipedia
- Colombo: commercial capital since 1978, Colombo Municipal Council, postal areas Colombo 1 to 15, metropolitan population about 5.6 million, Wikipedia
- Urban Development Authority Planning and Development Regulations 2021, Gazette Extraordinary No. 2235/54 of 8 July 2021 (development permits; minimum lot 150 m², or 250 m² without pipe-borne water)
- Live listings and asking prices: the Perch & Acre listings database on the date shown, built from each agency's public advert.
US dollar figures are indicative, at LKR 332.6 per US dollar (Central Bank of Sri Lanka indicative rate, 30 October 2026).
General information, not legal advice. Laws and rates change; confirm every point with your own Sri Lankan lawyer before you pay a deposit.