Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Battaramulla and Ratnapura

For one person, living is cheaper in Ratnapura: $477 a month against $532 in Battaramulla, rent and utilities included – about $660 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Battaramulla
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Battaramulla Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Ratnapura
Learn more

Ratnapura Living Index

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Battaramulla

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$532

/mo nomad

Ratnapura

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$477

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Battaramulla and in Ratnapura

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

A single person spends $532 per month in Battaramulla vs $477 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Battaramulla $532
Ratnapura $477

A couple spends around $862 per month in Battaramulla vs $765 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Battaramulla $862
Ratnapura $765

A family of three spends $1,192 per month in Battaramulla vs $1,054 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Battaramulla $1,192
Ratnapura $1,054

Battaramulla costs about 12% more than Ratnapura, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Battaramulla and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Battaramulla 61% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 LKR 1,292

$1.95 LKR 647

99.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.80 LKR 8,246

$9.22 LKR 3,066

168.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 LKR 2,524

$6.06 LKR 2,014

25.25%

Cappuccino

$2.49 LKR 827

$2.08 LKR 691

19.71%

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

$0.67 LKR 222

$0.73 LKR 244

-8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.0

$0.44 LKR 146

-38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 LKR 711

$1.93 LKR 642

10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 LKR 997

$2.77 LKR 921

8.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 521

$1.84 LKR 612

-14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.79 LKR 263

-34.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 254

$0.66 LKR 219

16.67%

Eggs

$1.63 LKR 543

$1.07 LKR 357

52.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 LKR 4,517

$14.73 LKR 4,898

-7.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 LKR 1,608

$6.39 LKR 2,125

-24.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 LKR 2,493

$15.60 LKR 5,186

-51.92%

Apples (1kg)

$6.39 LKR 2,123

$4.26 LKR 1,417

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 268

$0.75 LKR 248

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 LKR 1,489

$4.14 LKR 1,378

8.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 419

$0.94 LKR 311

34.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 343

$1.05 LKR 349

-1.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

$1.40 LKR 465

-41.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 292

$0.46 LKR 154

91.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 151

$0.43 LKR 144

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 LKR 3,410

$12.86 LKR 4,274

-20.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 LKR 4,318

$12.92 LKR 4,296

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 LKR 624

$2.09 LKR 693

-10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 984

$2.88 LKR 959

2.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.37 LKR 124

10.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.44 LKR 146

-20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 308

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 440

$1.00 LKR 331

32.00%

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

$44.0K LKR 14.6M

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

122.82%

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

$40.1K LKR 13.3M

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

104.32%

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

$57.5 LKR 19.1K

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

$4.13 LKR 1,373

$2.07 LKR 687

99.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.94 LKR 6,961

$7.41 LKR 2,462

182.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.05 LKR 9,989

$9.13 LKR 3,034

229.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.11 LKR 2,032

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 LKR 1,538

$2.39 LKR 794

93.31%

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

$38.34 LKR 12.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,180 LKR 392.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.25 LKR 6,066

$10.48 LKR 3,484

74.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.70 LKR 5,552

$7.70 LKR 2,561

116.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 LKR 26.0K

$84.3 LKR 28.0K

-7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.32 LKR 13.7K

$25.89 LKR 8,608

59.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 LKR 25.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.6 LKR 18.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.6 LKR 28.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 LKR 55.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Battaramulla: October 24, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Battaramulla

$234 44%

Ratnapura

$258 54.2% 10.4% $24

Eating Out

Battaramulla

$104 19.6%

Ratnapura

$79 16.5% 24.6% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Battaramulla

$83 15.5%

Ratnapura

$9.5 * 2% 88.5% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Battaramulla

$70 13.1%

Ratnapura

$58 12.1% 16.9% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Battaramulla

$39 7.4%

Ratnapura

$14 2.9% 64.6% $25

Getting Around

Battaramulla

$2.2 * 0.4%

Ratnapura

$4 * 0.8% 83.7% $1.8

Accommodation & Living

Battaramulla

- * 0%

Ratnapura

$55 11.5%

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 $25 in Battaramulla versus $9 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Battaramulla vs $258 in Ratnapura – so Battaramulla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Battaramulla

🇱🇰 Ratnapura

🕒 Local time

21:37 9:37 PM

Same time as Battaramulla

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

20,000

52,100

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Battaramulla Ratnapura 59 km

From you

Battaramulla
Ratnapura

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

Battaramulla vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Battaramulla costs about 12% more than Ratnapura, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $797 per month in Battaramulla and $715 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $532 in Battaramulla and $477 in Ratnapura. That’s a gap of about 12%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Battaramulla – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $532 in Battaramulla and $477 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Battaramulla has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $477 in Ratnapura to $532 in Battaramulla. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.