Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandarawela and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandarawela and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Bandarawela vs $517 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $923 per month in Bandarawela vs $833 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,254 per month in Bandarawela vs $1,149 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Bandarawela costs about 15% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bandarawela and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Bandarawela 56% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,367

$2.23 LKR 748

82.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.85 LKR 8,349

$10.02 LKR 3,367

148.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 LKR 2,825

$6.80 LKR 2,284

23.68%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 895

$2.35 LKR 791

13.19%

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

$0.72 LKR 243

$0.82 LKR 274

-12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 125

$0.52 LKR 174

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 777

$2.23 LKR 749

3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 LKR 1,129

$3.09 LKR 1,038

8.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 576

$2.04 LKR 686

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 173

$0.81 LKR 271

-37.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 294

$0.67 LKR 226

29.85%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 750

$1.19 LKR 401

87.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 LKR 4,652

$16.66 LKR 5,598

-16.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 LKR 1,598

$7.14 LKR 2,400

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 LKR 2,658

$17.18 LKR 5,773

-53.96%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 LKR 2,472

$4.66 LKR 1,564

57.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 358

$0.82 LKR 276

30.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 LKR 1,902

$4.65 LKR 1,563

21.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 422

$1.08 LKR 363

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 369

$1.17 LKR 392

-5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 460

$1.56 LKR 525

-12.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$0.56 LKR 189

114.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.48 LKR 162

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,355

$14.66 LKR 4,926

-31.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 LKR 4,234

$12.44 LKR 4,180

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 678

$2.32 LKR 779

-12.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 950

$3.13 LKR 1,053

-9.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 56.2

$0.42 LKR 141

-59.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$1.63 LKR 549

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.38 LKR 129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 111

$0.53 LKR 178

-37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.32 LKR 106

50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 LKR 343

$1.06 LKR 357

-3.77%

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

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

24.04%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$21.4K LKR 7.2M

60.27%

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

$61.2 LKR 20.6K

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

$4.44 LKR 1,492

$2.25 LKR 755

97.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.18 LKR 5,100

$8.23 LKR 2,767

84.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.06 LKR 1,700

$9.99 LKR 3,355

-49.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.30 LKR 1,109

$2.61 LKR 875

26.44%

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

$36.37 LKR 12.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 149.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.67 LKR 9,296

$11.53 LKR 3,873

139.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.65 LKR 6,603

$8.41 LKR 2,825

133.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 LKR 23.7K

$95.5 LKR 32.1K

-26.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.25 LKR 12.9K

$28.66 LKR 9,628

33.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$100 LKR 33.7K

$82.8 LKR 27.8K

20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.8 LKR 17.1K

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

-17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 LKR 44.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.1 LKR 22.2K

$92.9 LKR 31.2K

-28.82%

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 Bandarawela: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $100 in Bandarawela versus $82.8 in Ratnapura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Bandarawela versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Bandarawela vs $283 in Ratnapura – so Bandarawela 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

Bandarawela vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $593 in Bandarawela, $517 in Ratnapura – roughly 15% apart. Bandarawela costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $889 per month in Bandarawela and $776 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Bandarawela 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 $593 in Bandarawela and $517 in Ratnapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $593 in Bandarawela and $517 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bandarawela makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.