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 $480 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $477 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $770 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $760 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,061 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,042 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Ratnapura have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 LKR 508

$1.90 LKR 636

-20.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.37 LKR 8,502

$8.97 LKR 3,006

182.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 LKR 2,567

$5.88 LKR 1,971

30.27%

Cappuccino

$2.37 LKR 794

$2.05 LKR 686

15.61%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$0.75 LKR 251

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 91.3

$0.47 LKR 156

-42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 LKR 743

$1.90 LKR 637

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 1,020

$2.62 LKR 878

16.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 526

$1.84 LKR 618

-14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.77 LKR 257

-38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 262

$0.65 LKR 218

20.00%

Eggs

$1.54 LKR 515

$1.04 LKR 348

48.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 LKR 4,280

$14.69 LKR 4,923

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 LKR 1,626

$6.27 LKR 2,103

-22.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 LKR 2,333

$15.77 LKR 5,284

-55.87%

Apples (1kg)

$6.83 LKR 2,290

$4.15 LKR 1,390

64.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 283

$0.73 LKR 245

15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 LKR 1,520

$4.29 LKR 1,436

5.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 427

$0.99 LKR 332

28.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 315

$1.02 LKR 343

-7.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 259

$1.39 LKR 467

-44.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 295

$0.49 LKR 165

79.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 159

$0.43 LKR 144

9.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,354

$13.10 LKR 4,391

-23.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 LKR 4,487

$12.73 LKR 4,267

5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 LKR 648

$2.00 LKR 670

-3.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 LKR 885

$2.90 LKR 970

-8.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 127

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.35 LKR 117

17.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.44 LKR 147

-15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 313

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 420

$0.89 LKR 300

40.45%

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

$29.8K LKR 10.0M

$19.7K LKR 6.6M

51.25%

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

$39.4K LKR 13.2M

$19.0K LKR 6.4M

107.04%

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

$2.06 LKR 691

94.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 LKR 6,874

$7.26 LKR 2,433

182.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.68 LKR 2,910

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 LKR 1,361

$2.43 LKR 814

67.08%

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

$10.36 LKR 3,471

93.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.15 LKR 5,413

$7.24 LKR 2,425

123.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 LKR 26.2K

$82.2 LKR 27.5K

-5.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 LKR 14.2K

$25.19 LKR 8,444

68.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 LKR 25.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.8 LKR 17.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 LKR 146.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.0 LKR 28.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 LKR 71.0K

$164 LKR 55.0K

29.24%

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 Ratnapura: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 29% higher in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. 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 Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $257 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $719 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $716 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $9.00 in Ratnapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $480 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $477 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ratnapura costs $477 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 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.