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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $517 per month in Kandana vs $534 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $859 per month in Kandana vs $858 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,201 per month in Kandana vs $1,183 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Kandana is about 3% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 LKR 1,334

$2.19 LKR 735

81.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 LKR 8,399

$10.13 LKR 3,398

147.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 LKR 2,781

$6.81 LKR 2,287

21.73%

Cappuccino

$2.70 LKR 907

$2.37 LKR 797

13.92%

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

$0.70 LKR 233

$0.87 LKR 291

-19.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.49 LKR 164

-18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 765

$2.12 LKR 713

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 LKR 1,146

$2.94 LKR 988

15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 580

$1.97 LKR 662

-12.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 189

$0.81 LKR 271

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 278

$0.72 LKR 242

15.28%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 707

$1.24 LKR 417

70.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 LKR 4,681

$16.47 LKR 5,527

-15.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 LKR 1,538

$6.97 LKR 2,338

-34.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,734

$17.18 LKR 5,766

-52.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,481

$4.66 LKR 1,563

58.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 372

$0.77 LKR 260

44.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 LKR 1,998

$4.78 LKR 1,603

24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 405

$1.06 LKR 355

14.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.12 LKR 377

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 459

$1.50 LKR 502

-8.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 387

$0.52 LKR 174

121.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.52 LKR 175

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 LKR 3,335

$14.29 LKR 4,794

-30.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 LKR 4,237

$12.44 LKR 4,175

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 LKR 676

$2.30 LKR 773

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 960

$3.21 LKR 1,077

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.41 LKR 139

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.53 LKR 177

-37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$0.35 LKR 116

77.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 419

$1.08 LKR 361

15.74%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

24.61%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

63.16%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

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

$4.29 LKR 1,441

$2.26 LKR 757

89.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.35 LKR 5,150

$7.88 LKR 2,645

94.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,389

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,133

$2.71 LKR 910

24.72%

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

$37.44 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 148.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.86 LKR 9,350

$11.60 LKR 3,893

140.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.04 LKR 6,390

$8.24 LKR 2,766

131.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 LKR 22.9K

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

-27.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.30 LKR 12.9K

$28.63 LKR 9,606

33.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 57.0K

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 Kandana: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 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 $281 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 – Ratnapura 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 $776 per month in Kandana and $801 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 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 $517 in Kandana and $534 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kandana – 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 Kandana. 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.