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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $506 per month in Hatton vs $484 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $820 per month in Hatton vs $779 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,135 per month in Hatton vs $1,073 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Hatton costs about 4% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hatton and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Hatton 63% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.31 LKR 1,424

$1.94 LKR 640

122.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.41 LKR 8,731

$9.13 LKR 3,019

189.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 LKR 2,523

$6.17 LKR 2,040

23.66%

Cappuccino

$2.46 LKR 813

$2.12 LKR 700

16.04%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.74 LKR 244

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.6

$0.47 LKR 157

-42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 LKR 727

$2.02 LKR 668

8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,024

$2.71 LKR 896

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 537

$1.81 LKR 600

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 178

$0.77 LKR 256

-29.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 249

$0.61 LKR 203

22.95%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 530

$1.08 LKR 357

48.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 LKR 4,439

$15.01 LKR 4,963

-10.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 LKR 1,662

$6.31 LKR 2,086

-20.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 LKR 2,379

$15.81 LKR 5,229

-54.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.67 LKR 2,205

$4.40 LKR 1,454

51.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 276

$0.76 LKR 251

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 LKR 1,381

$4.26 LKR 1,407

-1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 429

$1.00 LKR 332

30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 348

$1.06 LKR 352

-0.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 246

$1.44 LKR 477

-48.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.48 LKR 158

95.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

$0.48 LKR 158

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 LKR 3,411

$13.12 LKR 4,339

-21.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 LKR 4,487

$12.76 LKR 4,219

6.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 660

$2.04 LKR 676

-2.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 949

$2.93 LKR 968

-2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 117

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$0.38 LKR 127

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.47 LKR 156

-19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 425

$0.97 LKR 321

32.99%

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

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

50.87%

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

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

111.12%

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

$56.0 LKR 18.5K

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

$4.11 LKR 1,358

$2.13 LKR 704

92.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 LKR 7,012

$7.40 LKR 2,448

186.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.04 LKR 2,988

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 LKR 1,489

$2.39 LKR 791

88.28%

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

$37.59 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,227 LKR 405.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.90 LKR 6,579

$10.50 LKR 3,472

89.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.94 LKR 5,601

$7.79 LKR 2,577

117.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 LKR 25.9K

$84.8 LKR 28.0K

-7.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.07 LKR 14.2K

$25.60 LKR 8,463

68.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 LKR 25.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.8 LKR 17.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 LKR 28.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 LKR 55.4K

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 Hatton: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hatton versus $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Hatton vs $261 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 – Hatton is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $758 per month in Hatton and $726 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Hatton – 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 $26.00 in Hatton 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 $506 in Hatton and $484 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hatton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.