Cost of Living Comparison Between Hatton and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Hatton and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $517 per month in Hatton vs $534 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Hatton vs $858 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,177 per month in Hatton vs $1,183 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Hatton is about 3% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hatton and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Hatton 61% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 LKR 1,389

$2.19 LKR 735

89.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.22 LKR 8,462

$10.13 LKR 3,398

148.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 LKR 2,863

$6.81 LKR 2,287

25.26%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 892

$2.37 LKR 797

12.24%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$0.87 LKR 291

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.49 LKR 164

-18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 LKR 804

$2.12 LKR 713

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,095

$2.94 LKR 988

10.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 600

$1.97 LKR 662

-9.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.81 LKR 271

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 270

$0.72 LKR 242

12.50%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 735

$1.24 LKR 417

76.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,706

$16.47 LKR 5,527

-14.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 LKR 1,606

$6.97 LKR 2,338

-31.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 LKR 2,667

$17.18 LKR 5,766

-53.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.28 LKR 2,443

$4.66 LKR 1,563

56.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 372

$0.77 LKR 260

44.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 LKR 1,916

$4.78 LKR 1,603

19.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 405

$1.06 LKR 355

14.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 386

$1.12 LKR 377

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 477

$1.50 LKR 502

-5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 397

$0.52 LKR 174

126.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.52 LKR 175

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 LKR 3,362

$14.29 LKR 4,794

-29.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,255

$12.44 LKR 4,175

1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 669

$2.30 LKR 773

-13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 960

$3.21 LKR 1,077

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 131

$0.41 LKR 139

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.53 LKR 177

-37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 206

$0.35 LKR 116

74.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 416

$1.08 LKR 361

14.81%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

21.36%

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

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

61.67%

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

$61.0 LKR 20.5K

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

$4.30 LKR 1,442

$2.26 LKR 757

90.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.23 LKR 5,110

$7.88 LKR 2,645

93.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,389

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,146

$2.71 LKR 910

26.20%

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

$36.64 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$434 LKR 145.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.99 LKR 9,394

$11.60 LKR 3,893

141.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.61 LKR 6,580

$8.24 LKR 2,766

137.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

-26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.58 LKR 12.9K

$28.63 LKR 9,606

34.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 57.0K

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 Hatton: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Hatton versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Hatton vs $281 in Ratnapura – so Hatton 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

Hatton vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ratnapura is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $776 per month in Hatton and $801 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Hatton and $10.00 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 $517 in Hatton and $534 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Hatton – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Hatton. 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.