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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $489 per month in Anuradhapura vs $520 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $823 per month in Anuradhapura vs $847 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,157 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,173 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 6% 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

$3.91 LKR 1,296

$2.21 LKR 733

76.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.39 LKR 8,419

$9.89 LKR 3,280

156.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 LKR 2,788

$6.73 LKR 2,230

24.96%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 871

$2.39 LKR 791

10.04%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.82 LKR 272

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.52 LKR 172

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 791

$2.20 LKR 729

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,125

$2.97 LKR 985

14.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 572

$1.97 LKR 652

-12.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.86 LKR 284

-34.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$0.72 LKR 240

18.06%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 736

$1.17 LKR 390

89.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 LKR 4,587

$16.64 LKR 5,518

-16.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,555

$6.84 LKR 2,267

-31.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 LKR 2,659

$17.39 LKR 5,765

-53.88%

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,406

$4.71 LKR 1,562

54.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 368

$0.82 LKR 271

35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,958

$4.67 LKR 1,548

26.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

$1.09 LKR 362

13.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 364

$1.16 LKR 385

-5.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 471

$1.50 LKR 498

-5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 382

$0.56 LKR 185

105.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 200

$0.52 LKR 172

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

$14.71 LKR 4,876

-30.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,236

$12.45 LKR 4,129

2.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 685

$2.22 LKR 738

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 953

$3.12 LKR 1,034

-8.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$0.39 LKR 129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.53 LKR 176

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.34 LKR 113

64.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 396

$1.07 LKR 353

12.15%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$22.1K LKR 7.3M

22.63%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

65.57%

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

$26.43 LKR 8,764

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

$3.25 LKR 1,079

$2.33 LKR 773

39.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.92 LKR 4,948

$8.13 LKR 2,697

83.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,090

$2.66 LKR 884

23.68%

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

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 145.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 9,292

$11.76 LKR 3,901

138.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 LKR 6,504

$8.56 LKR 2,838

129.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

$93.5 LKR 31.0K

-25.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

$28.55 LKR 9,466

36.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 LKR 28.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.4 LKR 19.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 LKR 30.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 LKR 57.0K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Anuradhapura vs $282 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: $489 in Anuradhapura, $520 in Ratnapura – roughly 6% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $734 per month in Anuradhapura and $780 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 $489 in Anuradhapura and $520 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 $489 in Anuradhapura and $520 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.