Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandana and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandana and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $536 per month in Kandana vs $523 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $866 per month in Kandana vs $854 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,196 per month in Kandana vs $1,185 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Kandana costs about 3% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 LKR 1,257

$2.22 LKR 709

77.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.82 LKR 7,915

$10.12 LKR 3,228

145.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 LKR 2,627

$6.90 LKR 2,199

19.42%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 841

$2.32 LKR 739

13.79%

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)

$2.33 LKR 743

$2.12 LKR 677

9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 LKR 1,038

$3.04 LKR 970

6.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 567

$1.96 LKR 624

-9.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 168

$0.81 LKR 257

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 255

$0.67 LKR 213

19.40%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 696

$1.18 LKR 376

84.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.01 LKR 4,469

$16.59 LKR 5,290

-15.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,465

$7.00 LKR 2,231

-34.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 LKR 2,498

$17.62 LKR 5,619

-55.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,407

$4.60 LKR 1,467

64.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 355

$0.78 LKR 248

42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,812

$4.56 LKR 1,455

24.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 386

$1.06 LKR 338

14.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 354

$1.11 LKR 353

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 437

$1.57 LKR 502

-12.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 384

$0.52 LKR 166

130.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 191

$0.48 LKR 152

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.23 LKR 3,262

$14.35 LKR 4,578

-28.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,045

$12.91 LKR 4,118

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 646

$2.25 LKR 718

-9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 912

$3.16 LKR 1,008

-9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$0.42 LKR 133

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.48 LKR 155

-27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 185

$0.32 LKR 101

81.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 388

$1.04 LKR 330

17.31%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

23.52%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

59.42%

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

$61.1 LKR 19.5K

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

$4.42 LKR 1,411

$2.25 LKR 719

96.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 4,897

$7.87 LKR 2,511

95.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,165

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,054

$2.70 LKR 862

22.59%

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

$36.31 LKR 11.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 142.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.14 LKR 8,655

$11.55 LKR 3,682

134.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.00 LKR 6,060

$8.61 LKR 2,747

120.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 LKR 22.4K

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

-24.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$28.14 LKR 8,973

38.52%

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 Kandana: April 28, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kandana versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Kandana vs $282 in Ratnapura – so Kandana 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

Kandana vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kandana 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 $804 per month in Kandana and $784 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 Kandana – 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 $25.00 in Kandana 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 $536 in Kandana and $523 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, Kandana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.