Cost of Living Comparison Between Anuradhapura and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Anuradhapura and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $496 per month in Anuradhapura vs $517 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $831 per month in Anuradhapura vs $833 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,149 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 4% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Anuradhapura and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Anuradhapura 63% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 LKR 1,355

$2.23 LKR 748

80.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.97 LKR 8,390

$10.02 LKR 3,367

149.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 LKR 2,760

$6.80 LKR 2,284

20.74%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 919

$2.35 LKR 791

16.17%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 LKR 243

$0.82 LKR 274

-12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.52 LKR 174

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 765

$2.23 LKR 749

2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 LKR 1,134

$3.09 LKR 1,038

9.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 573

$2.04 LKR 686

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.81 LKR 271

-32.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 270

$0.67 LKR 226

19.40%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 750

$1.19 LKR 401

87.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 LKR 4,792

$16.66 LKR 5,598

-14.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 LKR 1,587

$7.14 LKR 2,400

-33.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 LKR 2,782

$17.18 LKR 5,773

-51.80%

Apples (1kg)

$7.61 LKR 2,556

$4.66 LKR 1,564

63.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 363

$0.82 LKR 276

31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 LKR 1,912

$4.65 LKR 1,563

22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 402

$1.08 LKR 363

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$1.17 LKR 392

-5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 472

$1.56 LKR 525

-10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 389

$0.56 LKR 189

107.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.48 LKR 162

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 LKR 3,332

$14.66 LKR 4,926

-32.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 LKR 4,196

$12.44 LKR 4,180

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 703

$2.32 LKR 779

-9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 963

$3.13 LKR 1,053

-8.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 LKR 141

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$0.38 LKR 129

2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 120

$0.53 LKR 178

-32.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 206

$0.32 LKR 106

90.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 407

$1.06 LKR 357

14.15%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

25.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

$21.4K LKR 7.2M

63.72%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$27.06 LKR 9,092

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$3.41 LKR 1,147

$2.25 LKR 755

51.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 LKR 5,067

$8.23 LKR 2,767

83.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.99 LKR 3,355

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,146

$2.61 LKR 875

30.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 150.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.71 LKR 9,310

$11.53 LKR 3,873

140.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.27 LKR 6,475

$8.41 LKR 2,825

129.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

$95.5 LKR 32.1K

-26.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

$28.66 LKR 9,628

35.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.8 LKR 27.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.9 LKR 31.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Anuradhapura vs $283 in Ratnapura – so Anuradhapura wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Anuradhapura vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $496 in Anuradhapura, $517 in Ratnapura – roughly 4% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $744 per month in Anuradhapura and $776 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura and $10.00 in Ratnapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $496 in Anuradhapura and $517 in Ratnapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $496 in Anuradhapura and $517 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Anuradhapura – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Anuradhapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ratnapura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.