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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $525 per month in Kandana vs $531 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $853 per month in Kandana vs $838 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,181 per month in Kandana vs $1,145 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Kandana is about 1% 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

$4.05 LKR 1,351

$2.21 LKR 737

83.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.85 LKR 8,288

$10.19 LKR 3,399

143.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,710

$6.55 LKR 2,184

23.97%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 917

$2.40 LKR 800

14.58%

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

$0.68 LKR 225

$0.80 LKR 267

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.52 LKR 173

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 761

$2.12 LKR 706

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 LKR 1,136

$3.02 LKR 1,008

12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 573

$1.98 LKR 661

-13.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.83 LKR 277

-32.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 287

$0.72 LKR 239

19.44%

Eggs

$2.20 LKR 733

$1.19 LKR 399

84.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.36 LKR 4,789

$16.56 LKR 5,523

-13.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,593

$7.21 LKR 2,404

-33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 LKR 2,610

$17.39 LKR 5,799

-54.97%

Apples (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,481

$4.59 LKR 1,532

62.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 360

$0.78 LKR 259

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 LKR 1,878

$4.74 LKR 1,583

18.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 415

$1.08 LKR 361

14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 383

$1.17 LKR 389

-1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 468

$1.58 LKR 528

-11.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 401

$0.53 LKR 176

126.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.48 LKR 159

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 LKR 3,349

$14.80 LKR 4,936

-32.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 LKR 4,201

$12.63 LKR 4,214

-0.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 701

$2.31 LKR 771

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 946

$3.20 LKR 1,067

-11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$0.41 LKR 138

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.52 LKR 175

-36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.34 LKR 114

64.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.07 LKR 356

13.08%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

22.35%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.6M

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

61.43%

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

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

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

$4.25 LKR 1,419

$2.26 LKR 754

88.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,956

$7.81 LKR 2,605

90.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,410

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,097

$2.60 LKR 869

26.54%

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

$36.29 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$443 LKR 147.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.09 LKR 9,371

$11.64 LKR 3,883

141.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.42 LKR 6,478

$8.47 LKR 2,824

129.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 LKR 22.8K

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

-27.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.01 LKR 13.0K

$28.23 LKR 9,416

38.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.6 LKR 27.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 LKR 31.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.0K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kandana versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Kandana vs $283 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 1%, 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 $788 per month in Kandana and $797 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 $525 in Kandana and $531 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.