Cost of Living Comparison Between Homagama and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Homagama and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $514 in Homagama versus $531 in Ratnapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $809 in Homagama versus $838 in Ratnapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,104 in Homagama versus $1,145 in Ratnapura.

Living in Homagama costs roughly 3% less than in Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Homagama 62% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 LKR 1,325

$2.21 LKR 737

79.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.35 LKR 8,455

$10.19 LKR 3,399

148.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 LKR 2,763

$6.55 LKR 2,184

26.41%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 915

$2.40 LKR 800

14.17%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$0.80 LKR 267

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.52 LKR 173

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 761

$2.12 LKR 706

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,094

$3.02 LKR 1,008

8.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 449

$1.98 LKR 661

-31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.83 LKR 277

-37.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 LKR 217

$0.72 LKR 239

-9.72%

Eggs

$1.99 LKR 664

$1.19 LKR 399

67.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 LKR 4,768

$16.56 LKR 5,523

-13.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 LKR 1,349

$7.21 LKR 2,404

-43.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 LKR 2,760

$17.39 LKR 5,799

-52.44%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 LKR 2,455

$4.59 LKR 1,532

60.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 337

$0.78 LKR 259

29.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,970

$4.74 LKR 1,583

24.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 401

$1.08 LKR 361

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 368

$1.17 LKR 389

-5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 341

$1.58 LKR 528

-35.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 386

$0.53 LKR 176

118.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 LKR 3,377

$14.80 LKR 4,936

-31.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 LKR 3,920

$12.63 LKR 4,214

-6.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 663

$2.31 LKR 771

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 LKR 769

$3.20 LKR 1,067

-28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.41 LKR 137

26.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$0.41 LKR 138

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.52 LKR 175

-36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.34 LKR 114

64.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 420

$1.07 LKR 356

17.76%

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

$15.3K LKR 5.1M

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

-30.20%

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

$23.1K LKR 7.7M

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

7.04%

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

$23.66 LKR 7,891

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

$3.44 LKR 1,147

$2.26 LKR 754

52.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,123

$7.81 LKR 2,605

96.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.74 LKR 2,249

$10.22 LKR 3,410

-34.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.41 LKR 1,138

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,110

$2.60 LKR 869

28.08%

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

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$438 LKR 146.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.19 LKR 9,069

$11.64 LKR 3,883

133.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.53 LKR 4,514

$8.47 LKR 2,824

59.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.27 LKR 8,763

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

-72.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.51 LKR 10.2K

$28.23 LKR 9,416

8.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$109 LKR 36.2K

$82.6 LKR 27.6K

31.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.5 LKR 16.9K

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

-15.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 LKR 31.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$150 LKR 50.1K

$165 LKR 55.0K

-8.90%

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 Homagama: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $109 in Homagama and $82.6 in Ratnapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ratnapura pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Homagama vs $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $283, with Homagama cheaper for home cooking.

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

Homagama vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Homagama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ratnapura earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $109 in Homagama versus $82.6 in Ratnapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Ratnapura. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Homagama – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Homagama gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Homagama is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ratnapura, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Homagama and Ratnapura are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Homagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ratnapura. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.