Land for sale in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Land in Moratuwa is advertised at LKR 1,500,000 to LKR 1,700,000 per perch (asking prices, November 2026, 2 live plots on Perch & Acre); here is what is for sale.
Moratuwa is a coastal municipality about 18 km south of central Colombo, known for its furniture makers and woodwork. The Coastal railway line runs through it with five stations, the Indian Ocean is to the west and Bolgoda Lake to the east.
Which land and houses are for sale in Moratuwa right now?
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How much does land cost in Moratuwa?
We do not publish a median for Moratuwa, because fewer than 8 plots are listed. The 2 live plots are advertised at LKR 1,500,000 to LKR 1,700,000 per perch, or LKR 130,186,000 to LKR 156,000,000 for the whole plot (about USD 391,000 to USD 469,000). The 10 houses listed here, land included, run from LKR 27,000,000 to LKR 190,000,000. These are asking prices, not sale prices.
What is listed in Moratuwa?
Of the 12 live listings here today, 2 plots of land and 10 houses, listed by 4 agencies. The plots run from 76.58 to 104 perches; 1 perch is 25.29 m² and 160 perches make an acre.
Planning, street lines and the coastal zone: what to check in Moratuwa
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. Moratuwa has the sea on one side and Bolgoda Lake on the other: seafront plots are inside the 300 m coastal zone, and lake-side plots need their own setback check.
Buying guides for Moratuwa
- 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 Moratuwa?
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, Moratuwa 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 Moratuwa?
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 Moratuwa 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 Moratuwa?
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.
Tools: work out stamp duty and fees · land terms glossary · monthly price index.
Nearby towns
Land for sale in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Kesbewa, Boralesgamuwa, Colombo 6. More of Colombo District: Colombo 3, Colombo 4, Colombo 5, Colombo 7, Colombo 8, Kotte, Battaramulla, Nugegoda, Thalawathugoda, Malabe, Athurugiriya, Pannipitiya, Maharagama, all of Colombo, or every town.
Sources
- Moratuwa: Municipal Council about 18 km south of central Colombo, furniture and woodwork, Bolgoda Lake to the east, five stations on the Coastal line, 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)
- Coast Conservation Act No. 57 of 1981, section 14 permits and the 300 m coastal zone, reported by the Daily Mirror, 13 March 2025
- 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.