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 $520 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $523 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $857 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $854 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,194 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,185 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 61% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 LKR 1,255

$2.22 LKR 708

77.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.84 LKR 7,914

$10.12 LKR 3,225

145.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 LKR 2,620

$6.90 LKR 2,197

19.13%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 833

$2.32 LKR 739

12.50%

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

$0.73 LKR 232

$0.80 LKR 255

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 101

$0.51 LKR 164

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 724

$2.12 LKR 676

7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 LKR 1,087

$3.04 LKR 969

12.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 551

$1.96 LKR 624

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 168

$0.81 LKR 257

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 278

$0.67 LKR 213

29.85%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 708

$1.18 LKR 376

88.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.94 LKR 4,441

$16.59 LKR 5,285

-15.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 LKR 1,493

$7.00 LKR 2,229

-33.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 LKR 2,600

$17.62 LKR 5,614

-53.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,370

$4.60 LKR 1,466

61.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 340

$0.78 LKR 248

37.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.82 LKR 1,855

$4.56 LKR 1,454

27.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 382

$1.06 LKR 337

13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 368

$1.11 LKR 353

4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 453

$1.57 LKR 502

-9.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 367

$0.52 LKR 166

121.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 176

$0.48 LKR 152

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 LKR 3,212

$14.35 LKR 4,573

-29.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 LKR 4,001

$12.91 LKR 4,114

-2.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 668

$2.25 LKR 717

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 920

$3.16 LKR 1,007

-8.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 113

$0.48 LKR 154

-27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 192

$0.32 LKR 101

87.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 397

$1.04 LKR 330

20.19%

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

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

26.65%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.1M

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

59.06%

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

$60.7 LKR 19.3K

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

$4.44 LKR 1,415

$2.25 LKR 718

97.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 LKR 4,745

$7.87 LKR 2,508

89.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,162

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,090

$2.70 LKR 861

26.67%

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

$37.47 LKR 11.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 138.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.53 LKR 8,772

$11.55 LKR 3,678

138.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 LKR 6,196

$8.61 LKR 2,745

125.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 LKR 22.0K

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

-26.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.02 LKR 12.1K

$28.14 LKR 8,965

35.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.2 LKR 27.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.4 LKR 19.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 LKR 29.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$216 LKR 68.8K

$174 LKR 55.3K

24.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 24% 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 $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $282 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

Ratnapura costs about 1% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, 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 $780 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $784 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $520 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $523 in Ratnapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Ratnapura, 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 $520 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $523 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $520 versus $523 in Ratnapura. 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ratnapura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.