Personal loan interest rates in Sri Lanka
Published personal loan rates from banks, with the terms and security each one asks for.
Rates checked 14 October 2026 on each bank’s own website
In short
- The lowest published personal loan rate we found is 11.50% a year: NSB, personal loan, on a property mortgage.
- Government sector employees: NSB from 13.00%; private sector employees: NSB from 13.50%.
- BOC charges 12.00% (Special Personal Loan Scheme) or 14.00% (Personal Loan Scheme) for up to five years, rising with the term.
- On Rs. 1,000,000 over five years, 11.50% instead of 14.00% saves about Rs. 76,539 in interest.
Rates compared
| Bank | Product | Rate a year | Term and limits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Savings Bank (NSB) | Personal loan, on a property mortgage | 11.50% | up to 15 years | Bank’s site effective 2 June 2026 |
| Doctors, chartered engineers and accountants (one guarantor) | 12.00% | up to 12 years, Rs. 8 Mn | ||
| Other professionals (one guarantor) | 12.50% | up to 12 years (government) or 10 years (private), Rs. 7 Mn | ||
| Loans to migrant workers (two guarantors) | 12.50% | up to 5 years, Rs. 3 Mn | ||
| Government sector confirmed employees | 13.00% | up to 7 years, Rs. 1 Mn (one guarantor); 13.50% up to 12 years, Rs. 6 Mn (two) | ||
| Private sector confirmed employees | 13.50% | up to 7 years, Rs. 1 Mn (one guarantor); 14.00% up to 10 years, Rs. 5 Mn (two) | ||
| Bank of Ceylon (BOC) | BOC Special Personal Loan Scheme | 12.00% | up to 5 years (13.00% to 7 years, 14.00% to 10 years) | Bank’s site |
| BOC Personal Loan Scheme | 14.00% | up to 5 years (14.50% to 7 years, 15.50% to 10 years) | ||
| Cargills Bank | Personal loan, professionals | 12.00% from | — | Bank’s site |
| Personal loan, salaried employees | 13.50% from | — |
NSB: Rates are fixed for two years, then variable every six months.
Which rate applies to you
- Government employees: NSB 13.00% up to Rs. 1 million over seven years with one guarantor, or 13.50% up to Rs. 6 million over 12 years with two.
- Private sector employees: NSB 13.50% up to Rs. 1 million, or 14.00% up to Rs. 5 million. Cargills Bank from 13.50% for salaried employees.
- Professionals: NSB 12.00% for doctors, chartered engineers and accountants, 12.50% for other professionals; Cargills Bank from 12.00%.
- Migrant workers: NSB 12.50%, up to Rs. 3 million over five years.
- Property owners: NSB 11.50% on a property mortgage, up to 15 years.
What the rate means for your instalment
Borrowing Rs. 1,000,000 over five years on a reducing balance: at 11.50% the instalment is about Rs. 21,993 a month (Rs. 319,556 interest in total); at 14.00% it is about Rs. 23,268 (Rs. 396,095). Processing fees are extra.
Bank loan or online loan?
Bank personal loans cost around 11.5–15.5% a year but take paperwork, guarantors and days to approve. Online loans are approved in minutes but cost from 190% APR to over 800% a year. If you can wait, a bank loan is far cheaper.
Other banks
Commercial Bank, HNB, Sampath Bank and People’s Bank are not listed yet because we could not read their personal loan rates from their own websites. We add banks only once we have their published figures.
Frequently asked questions
Which bank has the lowest personal loan rate in Sri Lanka?
Of the rates we could read on 2026-10-14, NSB’s personal loan on a property mortgage is lowest at 11.50% a year, followed by BOC’s Special Personal Loan Scheme and Cargills Bank’s professional loan, both from 12.00%.
What is the personal loan rate for government employees?
NSB charges government sector confirmed employees 13.00% for up to Rs. 1 million over seven years with one guarantor, or 13.50% for up to Rs. 6 million over 12 years with two guarantors.
Are bank personal loan rates fixed?
It depends on the bank. NSB fixes its personal loan rates for two years and then varies them every six months. Ask your bank before you sign.
How do I work out the monthly instalment?
Use our EMI calculator with the bank’s rate, the amount and the term. On Rs. 1,000,000 over five years at 14.00%, the instalment is about Rs. 23,268 a month.