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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Hatton vs $523 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $857 per month in Hatton vs $854 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,195 per month in Hatton vs $1,185 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Hatton is about 1% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 LKR 1,262

$2.22 LKR 709

78.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.78 LKR 7,901

$10.12 LKR 3,228

144.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 LKR 2,630

$6.90 LKR 2,199

19.57%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 850

$2.32 LKR 739

14.66%

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

$0.74 LKR 235

$0.80 LKR 255

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 120

$0.51 LKR 164

-25.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 727

$2.12 LKR 677

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,046

$3.04 LKR 970

7.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 570

$1.96 LKR 624

-8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 169

$0.81 LKR 257

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 273

$0.67 LKR 213

28.36%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 673

$1.18 LKR 376

78.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 LKR 4,418

$16.59 LKR 5,290

-16.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 LKR 1,508

$7.00 LKR 2,231

-32.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.19 LKR 2,612

$17.62 LKR 5,619

-53.52%

Apples (1kg)

$7.46 LKR 2,379

$4.60 LKR 1,467

62.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 357

$0.78 LKR 248

43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 LKR 1,820

$4.56 LKR 1,455

25.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 403

$1.06 LKR 338

18.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 351

$1.11 LKR 353

-0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 448

$1.57 LKR 502

-10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 365

$0.52 LKR 166

121.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 180

$0.48 LKR 152

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 LKR 3,169

$14.35 LKR 4,578

-30.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 LKR 4,040

$12.91 LKR 4,118

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 637

$2.25 LKR 718

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 901

$3.16 LKR 1,008

-10.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 131

$0.42 LKR 133

-2.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 104

$0.48 LKR 155

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 193

$0.32 LKR 101

90.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 387

$1.04 LKR 330

16.35%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

27.05%

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

$34.3K LKR 10.9M

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

57.08%

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

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

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

$4.25 LKR 1,355

$2.25 LKR 719

88.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,740

$7.87 LKR 2,511

88.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,165

Cinema Ticket

$3.25 LKR 1,038

$2.70 LKR 862

20.37%

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

$37.30 LKR 11.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$434 LKR 138.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.01 LKR 8,614

$11.55 LKR 3,682

133.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.08 LKR 6,085

$8.61 LKR 2,747

121.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 22.1K

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

-26.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.15 LKR 12.2K

$28.14 LKR 8,973

35.57%

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)

$174 LKR 55.3K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 27, 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 $282 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 1%, 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 $777 per month in Hatton and $784 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 $518 in Hatton and $523 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.