Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
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Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Living Index

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Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$491

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and in Matale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $491 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $119 in Matale, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $491
Matale $119

A couple spends around $795 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $199 in Matale, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $795
Matale $199

A family of three spends $1,100 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $278 in Matale, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $1,100
Matale $278

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs about 311% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 64% lower, Matale 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.47 LKR 488

$1.86 LKR 618

-20.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.34 LKR 8,097

$9.21 LKR 3,063

164.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 LKR 2,512

$4.62 LKR 1,537

63.42%

Cappuccino

$2.52 LKR 837

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

$0.72 LKR 238

$0.47 LKR 157

53.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.2

$0.27 LKR 89.8

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LKR 718

$2.42 LKR 805

-10.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 LKR 1,026

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 524

$1.70 LKR 565

-7.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$0.37 LKR 123

43.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 272

$0.68 LKR 227

20.59%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 550

$1.11 LKR 368

48.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 LKR 5,063

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 LKR 1,617

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 LKR 2,559

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 LKR 2,239

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 272

$0.58 LKR 192

41.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 LKR 1,357

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 LKR 445

$0.86 LKR 286

55.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 345

$0.55 LKR 183

89.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 273

$0.52 LKR 172

57.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 LKR 401

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 141

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.40 LKR 3,461

Wine (Bottle)

$13.45 LKR 4,473

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 635

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 955

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 125

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 311

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 437

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

$42.9K LKR 14.3M

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

$45.8K LKR 15.2M

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

$58.0 LKR 19.3K

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

$4.26 LKR 1,418

$3.74 LKR 1,242

13.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.55 LKR 6,835

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 LKR 1,464

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

$40.73 LKR 13.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.26 LKR 6,075

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.08 LKR 5,682

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 LKR 26.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.86 LKR 13.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 LKR 149.9K

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: November 2, 2026

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$242 49.4%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$85 17.4%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$83 16.9%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$70 14.2%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$8.8 * 1.8%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$2 * 0.4%

Matale

–

Accommodation & Living

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

- * 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $9 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $38 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

14:06 2:06 PM

Same time as Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

219,827

40,800

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Matale 110 km

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Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
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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

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

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs about 311% more than Matale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $737 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $179 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $119 in Matale. That makes Matale about 76% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 533% more in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $119 in Matale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. 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.