Uber supported Economic Growth in Sri Lanka with LKR 160 Billion of Economic Activity in 2024: Report

• Uber and Uber Eats generated LKR 338 billion in consumer surplus*

• Drivers and delivery partners earned 24% more than their next best alternative

• Contributed LKR 3.6 billion in additional value for local restaurants and merchants

Uber has released findings from its 2024 Sri Lanka Economic Impact Report, compiled by global policy research firm Public First. The report highlights how Uber and Uber Eats together contributed LKR 160 billion in economic activity last year—underscoring their growing role in delivering flexible earning opportunities, expanding access to safer, affordable transportation, and helping local businesses reach more customers.

Uber has transformed the way people travel and order food, groceries and more, over the last few years. By making transportation and delivery services safer and accessible, the company has helped generate economic growth at a time when Sri Lanka has been emerging from financial uncertainty.

Key findings from the report: 

Supporting a wider economic footprint

The convenience of services offered by Uber not only benefits riders and eaters directly, but also creates a multiplier effect across the broader economy.

• Consumer Surplus: Last year, rides with Uber and Uber Eats generated LKR 338 billion in consumer surplus* for users in Sri Lanka
  
  

• Tourism support: Uber contributed LKR 16 billion in additional value for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry in the survey year
  
  

• Spillover impact: Sri Lankan drivers and delivery partners paid over LKR 660 million to local businesses to maintain their vehicles over a year 

Sri Lankan drivers and delivery partners paid over LKR 660 million to local businesses to maintain their vehicles

Expanding opportunity 

Since entering the market in 2015, Uber has enabled drivers and delivery partners to boost their income and provided a crucial financial buffer for families during challenging times. 

• Higher earnings: In 2024, driver and delivery-partners earned 24% more in higher income through Uber than they would have via their next best alternative.
  
  

• Family support: 7 in 10 drivers and delivery partners said that operating on the Uber app helped their families navigate the economic crisis.
  
  

• Greater stability: 60% reported that the platform gave them a sense of stability they wouldn’t have had otherwise. 

Transforming travel 

Uber provides safer, reliable, and affordable transport options at multiple price points, helping users save time while navigating congested cities.

• Productivity gains: Uber saved riders over 1.2 million hours in 2024 - translating to increased workspace productivity and time with loved ones
  
  

• Essential travel: 79% of riders  had used Uber to commute to work, and 65% said they used the app during emergencies
  
  

• Budget-friendly options: 67% of riders said that having multiple choices on the Uber app helped them book trips within their budget - with Moto and Tuk services proving especially popular

Connecting customers to local businesses

With a doorstep promise at the tap of a button, Uber and Uber Eats are deepening connections between people and their neighbourhoods. 

• Small business growth: Uber Eats contributed LKR 3.6 billion in additional value to restaurants and merchants across Sri Lanka.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Helped fuel small business growth by contributing LKR 3.6 billion in additional value to restaurants and merchants

• Supporting local restaurants: 89% of users said they had ordered from small or family-run restaurants through the app, showing its impact on boosting local reach
  
  

• Ordering made easier: 84% of users ordered food they wouldn’t normally cook at home, while 81% said they found groceries and items that matched their household budget.
  
  
  

Safety and improving access 

Reliable access to safe transportation is essential—especially for those travelling alone or late at night. Uber’s investment in safety features continues to make a difference.

• Safer rides: 83% of users said safety was a very important reason for choosing Uber, while 80% said Uber was the safest way to get home at night.

83% cite safety was a very important  reason why they chose to use  Uber

• Safety tools: Features like GPS tracking and 'Share Your Trip' continue to gain popularity among users, reinforcing Uber’s commitment to tech-enabled safety.
  
  

• Road safety impact: 71% of users agree that Uber and similar platforms have helped reduce impaired driving due to alcohol in their communities.

Commenting on the report, Kaushalya Gunaratne, Country Manager – Mobility, Uber Sri Lanka, said: “This report reaffirms our long-term commitment to Sri Lanka. Uber is proud to help thousands of earners access flexible work, enable safer and reliable transport for millions, and support local businesses at scale. We look forward to continuing to serve the country’s evolving mobility and delivery needs.”

Varun Wijewardane, Country Manager – Delivery, Uber Sri Lanka, said: “Whether it’s delivering to your doorstep or connecting merchants with new customers, Uber Eats plays a vital role in connecting communities. We’re proud of the impact we’ve made—especially for small, family-run businesses navigating a tough economic landscape.”

As Sri Lanka works toward economic recovery and digital transformation, Uber remains committed to serving communities across the country—by creating opportunity through movement and delivering impact at scale.

*One of the most important measures of economic welfare – the amount you would have to pay someone to voluntarily give up a good or service. If a good has a zero consumer surplus, that implies we can take or leave it – whereas goods with a high consumer surplus are playing an important role in our lives.

You can read the full report, including methodology, here.

About Uber

Uber's mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 15 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.