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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Hatton vs $531 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $866 per month in Hatton vs $838 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Hatton vs $1,145 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Hatton and Ratnapura have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 LKR 1,320

$2.21 LKR 737

79.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,425

$10.19 LKR 3,399

147.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 LKR 2,812

$6.55 LKR 2,184

28.70%

Cappuccino

$2.72 LKR 908

$2.40 LKR 800

13.33%

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

$0.70 LKR 232

$0.80 LKR 267

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.52 LKR 173

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 767

$2.12 LKR 706

8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,111

$3.02 LKR 1,008

10.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 597

$1.98 LKR 661

-9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.83 LKR 277

-37.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 288

$0.72 LKR 239

19.44%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 732

$1.19 LKR 399

84.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 LKR 4,655

$16.56 LKR 5,523

-15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,518

$7.21 LKR 2,404

-36.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 LKR 2,638

$17.39 LKR 5,799

-54.51%

Apples (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,520

$4.59 LKR 1,532

64.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 374

$0.78 LKR 259

43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,972

$4.74 LKR 1,583

24.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.08 LKR 361

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 385

$1.17 LKR 389

-1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 456

$1.58 LKR 528

-13.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 397

$0.53 LKR 176

124.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 197

$0.48 LKR 159

22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 LKR 3,307

$14.80 LKR 4,936

-32.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 4,158

$12.63 LKR 4,214

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 LKR 670

$2.31 LKR 771

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 945

$3.20 LKR 1,067

-11.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.52 LKR 175

-36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 193

$0.34 LKR 114

70.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 403

$1.07 LKR 356

13.08%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

24.54%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

58.46%

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

$59.5 LKR 19.8K

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

$4.31 LKR 1,436

$2.26 LKR 754

90.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.17 LKR 5,059

$7.81 LKR 2,605

94.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,410

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,149

$2.60 LKR 869

32.31%

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

$36.88 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$434 LKR 144.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.77 LKR 9,262

$11.64 LKR 3,883

138.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 LKR 6,515

$8.47 LKR 2,824

130.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 LKR 23.3K

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

-26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.32 LKR 12.8K

$28.23 LKR 9,416

35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.6 LKR 27.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 LKR 31.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.0K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Hatton versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Hatton vs $283 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $794 per month in Hatton and $797 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 $529 in Hatton and $531 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.