Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandarawela and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $451 in Bandarawela, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Bandarawela
Learn more

Bandarawela Living Index

Jump to prices

Bandarawela

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$451

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bandarawela and in Matale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bandarawela and in Matale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $451 per month in Bandarawela vs $119 in Matale, rent included.

Bandarawela $451
Matale $119

A couple spends around $743 per month in Bandarawela vs $199 in Matale, rent included.

Bandarawela $743
Matale $199

A family of three spends $1,034 per month in Bandarawela vs $278 in Matale, rent included.

Bandarawela $1,034
Matale $278

Bandarawela costs about 278% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bandarawela and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Bandarawela 67% lower, Matale 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.32 LKR 439

$1.86 LKR 618

-29.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.43 LKR 8,126

$9.21 LKR 3,063

165.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 LKR 2,527

$4.62 LKR 1,537

64.50%

Cappuccino

$1.49 LKR 494

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

$0.61 LKR 204

$0.47 LKR 157

29.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.5

$0.27 LKR 89.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LKR 719

$2.42 LKR 805

-10.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 LKR 806

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 539

$1.70 LKR 565

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.37 LKR 123

-8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 206

$0.68 LKR 227

-8.82%

Eggs

$1.05 LKR 350

$1.11 LKR 368

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 LKR 5,170

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 LKR 1,189

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 LKR 2,584

Apples (1kg)

$6.75 LKR 2,246

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.58 LKR 192

-1.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 LKR 1,379

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 LKR 427

$0.86 LKR 286

48.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 286

$0.55 LKR 183

56.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 183

$0.52 LKR 172

5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 LKR 417

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 140

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 LKR 3,196

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 LKR 4,573

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 627

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 966

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 124

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 103

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 291

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 LKR 455

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

$43.3K LKR 14.4M

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

$46.1K LKR 15.3M

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

$56.6 LKR 18.8K

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

$3.36 LKR 1,117

$3.74 LKR 1,242

-10.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.96 LKR 1,982

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.04 LKR 2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 LKR 1,495

Cinema Ticket

$2.37 LKR 787

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

$40.60 LKR 13.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K LKR 5.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.42 LKR 6,125

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.70 LKR 5,887

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 LKR 26.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.25 LKR 14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 LKR 61.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

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

Last update for Bandarawela: October 31, 2026

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Bandarawela

$231 51.2%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Bandarawela

$71 15.8%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Bandarawela

$70 15.6%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bandarawela

$66 14.6%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Bandarawela

$11 2.4%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Bandarawela

$1.9 * 0.4%

Matale

–

Accommodation & Living

Bandarawela

- * 0%

Matale

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Bandarawela versus $9 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $38 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Bandarawela

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

11:46 11:46 AM

Same time as Bandarawela

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

40,800

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bandarawela Matale 82 km

From you

Bandarawela
Matale

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bandarawela vs Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $451 in Bandarawela, $119 in Matale – Matale comes out roughly 74% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $677 per month in Bandarawela and $179 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Bandarawela and $9 in Matale. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $451 in Bandarawela and $119 in Matale. That makes Matale about 74% cheaper.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $451 in Bandarawela and $119 in Matale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Bandarawela has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $451 in Bandarawela. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.