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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $487 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $484 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $799 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $779 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,110 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,073 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs about 1% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 64% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.54 LKR 508

$1.94 LKR 640

-20.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 LKR 8,725

$9.13 LKR 3,019

189.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 LKR 2,463

$6.17 LKR 2,040

20.75%

Cappuccino

$2.58 LKR 854

$2.12 LKR 700

21.70%

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

$0.73 LKR 240

$0.74 LKR 244

-1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.2

$0.47 LKR 157

-42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 758

$2.02 LKR 668

13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 1,003

$2.71 LKR 896

11.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 515

$1.81 LKR 600

-13.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$0.77 LKR 256

-31.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 270

$0.61 LKR 203

34.43%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 546

$1.08 LKR 357

52.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.21 LKR 4,369

$15.01 LKR 4,963

-11.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,703

$6.31 LKR 2,086

-18.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 LKR 2,381

$15.81 LKR 5,229

-54.46%

Apples (1kg)

$7.01 LKR 2,317

$4.40 LKR 1,454

59.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 297

$0.76 LKR 251

18.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 LKR 1,422

$4.26 LKR 1,407

0.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 LKR 424

$1.00 LKR 332

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 331

$1.06 LKR 352

-5.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 261

$1.44 LKR 477

-45.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 LKR 300

$0.48 LKR 158

89.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 163

$0.48 LKR 158

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.33 LKR 3,416

$13.12 LKR 4,339

-21.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 LKR 4,540

$12.76 LKR 4,219

7.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 LKR 623

$2.04 LKR 676

-7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 939

$2.93 LKR 968

-3.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 117

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.38 LKR 127

7.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$0.47 LKR 156

-23.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LKR 297

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 422

$0.97 LKR 321

31.96%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.1M

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

53.04%

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

$43.3K LKR 14.3M

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

118.20%

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

$56.2 LKR 18.6K

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

$4.15 LKR 1,372

$2.13 LKR 704

94.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.26 LKR 7,028

$7.40 LKR 2,448

187.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.04 LKR 2,988

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 LKR 1,465

$2.39 LKR 791

85.36%

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

$37.37 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,213 LKR 401.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.47 LKR 6,768

$10.50 LKR 3,472

94.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.70 LKR 5,521

$7.79 LKR 2,577

114.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 LKR 26.7K

$84.8 LKR 28.0K

-4.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.73 LKR 14.1K

$25.60 LKR 8,463

66.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 LKR 25.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.8 LKR 17.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 LKR 150.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 LKR 28.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 LKR 69.6K

$168 LKR 55.4K

25.66%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 26% 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 $26.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $261 in Ratnapura – so Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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

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

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs about 1% more than Ratnapura, 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 $731 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $726 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $487 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $484 in Ratnapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia – 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 $487 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $484 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ratnapura costs $484 versus $487 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 Ratnapura. 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.