Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Matale Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Matale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $480 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $219 in Matale, rent included.

A couple spends around $770 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $358 in Matale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,061 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $497 in Matale, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs about 119% more than Matale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 65% lower, Matale 84% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 LKR 508

$1.77 LKR 592

-14.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.37 LKR 8,502

$8.74 LKR 2,928

190.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 LKR 2,567

$4.39 LKR 1,471

74.49%

Cappuccino

$2.37 LKR 794

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$0.49 LKR 164

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 91.3

$0.22 LKR 73.5

22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 LKR 743

$2.32 LKR 777

-4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 1,020

$1.83 LKR 615

66.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 526

$1.43 LKR 478

9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.42 LKR 139

11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 262

$0.61 LKR 204

27.87%

Eggs

$1.54 LKR 515

$1.63 LKR 545

-5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 LKR 4,280

$9.32 LKR 3,122

37.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 LKR 1,626

$3.50 LKR 1,174

38.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 LKR 2,333

$7.08 LKR 2,374

-1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.83 LKR 2,290

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 283

$0.53 LKR 179

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 LKR 1,520

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 427

$0.91 LKR 305

39.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 315

$0.52 LKR 173

80.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 259

$0.55 LKR 186

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 295

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 159

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,354

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 LKR 4,487

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 LKR 648

$1.62 LKR 543

19.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 LKR 885

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.23 LKR 76.8

60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 313

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 420

$1.12 LKR 374

11.61%

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

$29.8K LKR 10.0M

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

$39.4K LKR 13.2M

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

$52.1 LKR 17.5K

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

$4.01 LKR 1,343

$3.68 LKR 1,232

8.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 LKR 6,874

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 LKR 1,361

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

$37.91 LKR 12.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,169 LKR 391.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.01 LKR 6,705

$24.01 LKR 8,048

-16.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.15 LKR 5,413

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 LKR 26.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 LKR 14.2K

$10.59 LKR 3,549

300.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$43.84 LKR 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 LKR 146.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.0 LKR 20.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 LKR 71.0K

$161 LKR 53.9K

31.86%

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: August 3, 2026

Last update for Matale: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 32% higher in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $9.00 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $113 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs about 119% more than Matale, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $719 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $329 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $480 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $219 in Matale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 106% more in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $480 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $219 in Matale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Matale costs $219 versus $480 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Matale. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.