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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $515 per month in Kandana vs $484 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $844 per month in Kandana vs $779 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Kandana vs $1,073 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Kandana costs about 6% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kandana and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Kandana 62% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 LKR 1,434

$1.94 LKR 640

123.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.55 LKR 8,447

$9.13 LKR 3,019

179.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 LKR 2,456

$6.17 LKR 2,040

20.42%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 850

$2.12 LKR 700

21.23%

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

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.74 LKR 244

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.0

$0.47 LKR 157

-42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 LKR 731

$2.02 LKR 668

9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,032

$2.71 LKR 896

15.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 LKR 541

$1.81 LKR 600

-9.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 189

$0.77 LKR 256

-25.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$0.61 LKR 203

31.15%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 548

$1.08 LKR 357

53.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 LKR 4,398

$15.01 LKR 4,963

-11.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,672

$6.31 LKR 2,086

-19.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 LKR 2,376

$15.81 LKR 5,229

-54.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.92 LKR 2,289

$4.40 LKR 1,454

57.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

$0.76 LKR 251

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 LKR 1,375

$4.26 LKR 1,407

-2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 LKR 424

$1.00 LKR 332

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 345

$1.06 LKR 352

-1.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.44 LKR 477

-44.44%

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)

$10.46 LKR 3,457

$13.12 LKR 4,339

-20.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 LKR 4,472

$12.76 LKR 4,219

6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 634

$2.04 LKR 676

-5.88%

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 138

$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)

$0.90 LKR 296

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 LKR 429

$0.97 LKR 321

34.02%

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

$31.0K LKR 10.3M

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

55.48%

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

$42.1K LKR 13.9M

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

112.22%

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

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

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

$4.19 LKR 1,385

$2.13 LKR 704

96.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.08 LKR 6,971

$7.40 LKR 2,448

184.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.04 LKR 2,988

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 LKR 1,418

$2.39 LKR 791

79.50%

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

$37.67 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,218 LKR 402.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.77 LKR 6,537

$10.50 LKR 3,472

88.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.04 LKR 5,635

$7.79 LKR 2,577

118.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 LKR 26.5K

$84.8 LKR 28.0K

-5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 LKR 13.8K

$25.60 LKR 8,463

63.09%

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 Kandana: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kandana versus $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Kandana vs $261 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 6%, 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 $773 per month in Kandana 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 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 $26.00 in Kandana 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 $515 in Kandana 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, Kandana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.