PayPal charges 4.4% + $0.30 for a standard overseas USD client payment in Sri Lanka. ComBank quotes $3 + 3% per withdrawal. The estimates below use those fees.
A $1,000 client payment works out to about LKR 300,079 through PayPal and Commercial Bank, compared with LKR 327,748 through an ACH payment to Elevate Pay. That’s an estimated LKR 27,669 difference using the 9 September rates below.
The starting balance matters. PayPal deducts its receiving fee from a new client payment first. Money already in your PayPal balance has passed that stage, so don’t deduct the receiving fee again.
Can you receive and withdraw PayPal in Sri Lanka?
Yes. Personal accounts linked through Commercial Bank or Sampath can receive payments from overseas and withdraw to a local bank. New business signup through banks, invoicing, Checkout and Bank of Ceylon are still pending on PayPal’s bank-partner page.
For the bank-by-bank features and the conflicting guidance on existing business accounts, see PayPal in Sri Lanka. This fee guide uses the personal-account route that PayPal and Commercial Bank both describe.
PayPal Sri Lanka fees at a glance
Cost | Fee or rate |
|---|---|
Receive an overseas USD client payment | 4.4% + $0.30 |
Commercial Bank published withdrawal fee | $3 + 3% of the withdrawal amount |
PayPal currency conversion | Balance conversion: 3% above PayPal’s base rate; sending conversion: 4% |
ComBank USD to LKR conversion | Bank rate; the 9 September TT buying reference was LKR 324.75 per USD |
Refunded seller payment | PayPal keeps the original receiving fee |
Sources: PayPal merchant fees, conversion fees, ComBank’s PayPal FAQ and ComBank exchange rates. The cost examples below use ComBank’s published withdrawal fee.
What does PayPal charge to receive $1,000?
You pay $44.30 to receive a standard $1,000 international commercial payment in USD. The rate is 4.4%, plus a $0.30 fixed fee.
$1,000 × 4.4% + $0.30 = $44.30, leaving $955.70 in PayPal.
A payment for freelance work uses the commercial rate even when you have a personal account. The fee follows the payment, not the label on your account.
These examples use standard pricing. A separately negotiated merchant rate or a platform payout can use a different fee.
How much does Commercial Bank charge for PayPal withdrawals?
ComBank’s PayPal service page states: “All fees and charges will be displayed before you confirm the transaction (USD 3.00 + 3% of the transaction Value)”. It processes the transfer in USD and converts the remainder to LKR at its bank rate. PayPal’s receiving fee applies separately.
Using ComBank’s published fee, a $1,000 balance already available in PayPal incurs a $33 withdrawal charge. The remaining $967 works out to an estimated LKR 314,033.25 at the reference rate below.
For a new $1,000 client payment, PayPal first deducts $44.30. Applying ComBank’s published fee to the remaining $955.70 gives a $31.67 withdrawal charge, leaving $924.03 for conversion.
ComBank’s FAQ gives a $3.50 minimum withdrawal and says credit is instant after successful authorization. Your PayPal balance must be available to withdraw; money on hold stays in PayPal.
The Sri Lanka account guide shows the exact Connect, Withdraw and OTP steps.
What $100, $500, $1,000 and $2,000 become in LKR
The table deducts PayPal’s receiving fee, then ComBank’s published withdrawal fee of 3% + $3, rounding each dollar fee to cents. The LKR estimates use ComBank’s 9 September 2026 TT buying rate of 324.75 as the reference.
Client payment | PayPal fee | PayPal balance | Published ComBank fee | USD converted | LKR estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$100 | $4.70 | $95.30 | $5.86 | $89.44 | 29,045.64 |
$500 | $22.30 | $477.70 | $17.33 | $460.37 | 149,505.16 |
$1,000 | $44.30 | $955.70 | $31.67 | $924.03 | 300,078.74 |
$2,000 | $88.30 | $1,911.70 | $60.35 | $1,851.35 | 601,225.91 |
PayPal vs Elevate Pay: $1,000 to a Sri Lankan bank
With Elevate Pay, your client can pay your USD account by ACH. We charge $0 to receive it and $1.50 to transfer up to $5,000 to a Sri Lankan bank. See our Sri Lanka account setup steps and full pricing.
Our LKR rate for 9 September 2026 was 328.24 LKR/USD. After the $1.50 fee:
($1,000 − $1.50) × 328.24 = LKR 327,747.64.
That’s about LKR 27,669 more than the LKR 300,078.74 ComBank estimate for a new $1,000 PayPal client payment. The comparison assumes ACH funding for Elevate Pay and standard commercial receiving for PayPal; it excludes separate sender charges.
For a fuller comparison, read PayPal vs Elevate Pay in Sri Lanka, PayPal vs Wise and PayPal alternatives.
Is PayPal’s conversion fee 3% or 4%?
It’s 3% for balance conversion and 4% for sending-payment conversion under PayPal’s Sri Lanka fee schedule. PayPal adds that charge to its own base exchange rate.
ComBank converts the USD withdrawal into LKR itself. The examples above therefore use ComBank’s rate without adding another 3% PayPal USD-to-LKR conversion charge.
If you convert a balance inside PayPal first, the conversion cost is already in the rate PayPal uses. Charging another assumed spread on the same conversion would count the cost twice.
What happens to the fee if you refund a client?
PayPal keeps its original receiving fee when you refund a client, under its Sri Lanka user agreement.
Does withdrawing a larger amount save money?
Yes. Using ComBank’s published fees, ten separate withdrawals cost $30 in fixed charges; one withdrawal costs $3. The 3% charge still applies in both cases.
That saves $27 in fixed fees before exchange-rate changes. Waiting also means leaving the money in PayPal longer, where holds can delay access.
At the rates used in this comparison, a $1,000 client payment leaves an estimated LKR 327,748 with Elevate Pay via ACH, versus LKR 300,079 through PayPal and ComBank. Open your Elevate Pay account in Sri Lanka, then follow our local-bank transfer steps.
Frequently asked questions
What is PayPal’s fee for receiving $1,000 in Sri Lanka?
$44.30 at the standard international commercial USD rate. The withdrawal estimate then applies ComBank’s published $3 plus 3% fee to the remaining balance before conversion to LKR.
Does Commercial Bank charge only $3?
No. ComBank’s published fee is $3 plus 3% of the withdrawal amount. On a $1,000 available balance, that works out to $33.
What is the minimum PayPal withdrawal at ComBank?
$3.50, according to ComBank’s PayPal FAQ. The $3 fixed fee makes very small withdrawals expensive.
How long does a ComBank PayPal withdrawal take?
ComBank says credit is instant after successful authorization. A payment still on hold in PayPal must become available before you can withdraw it.
Does a personal account avoid commercial fees?
No. Client payments for goods or services use commercial pricing even when you receive them through a personal account.
How we checked this
We checked PayPal’s fees and bank-partner rules, ComBank’s FAQ and dated exchange-rate table, then used our pricing and LKR rate for the comparison. The estimates use ComBank’s published withdrawal charge of 3% + $3 and the captured public bank rate. The LKR examples are calculations, not completed withdrawals.
Recent Articles
DO MORE WITH ELEVATE PAY
Transfer money with Elevate Pay with low fees and competitive FX rates. Our users love us for transparency, security and more.
