Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $549 in Kandy versus $524 in Ratnapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $862 in Kandy versus $845 in Ratnapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,175 in Kandy versus $1,166 in Ratnapura.

Living in Kandy is roughly 5% more expensive than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 59% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 LKR 877

$2.22 LKR 704

24.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.69 LKR 3,700

$10.13 LKR 3,208

15.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 LKR 2,087

$6.73 LKR 2,132

-1.93%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 825

$2.36 LKR 746

10.59%

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

$0.61 LKR 193

$0.86 LKR 271

-29.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 LKR 94.5

$0.52 LKR 166

-42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 670

$2.16 LKR 685

-1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$3.07 LKR 972

9.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 LKR 458

$2.06 LKR 652

-29.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 177

$0.81 LKR 256

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 275

$0.67 LKR 211

29.85%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 674

$1.24 LKR 393

71.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 LKR 2,832

$16.48 LKR 5,217

-45.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 LKR 1,511

$6.96 LKR 2,204

-31.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.12 LKR 2,570

$17.55 LKR 5,554

-53.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,467

$4.81 LKR 1,521

-3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 324

$0.83 LKR 264

22.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 LKR 1,150

$4.74 LKR 1,502

-23.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 398

$1.05 LKR 331

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 362

$1.17 LKR 370

-2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 390

$1.56 LKR 493

-21.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 LKR 245

$0.56 LKR 178

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 177

$0.48 LKR 152

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 LKR 2,928

$14.48 LKR 4,584

-36.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 LKR 3,814

$13.40 LKR 4,241

-10.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 652

$2.31 LKR 732

-10.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 LKR 858

$3.09 LKR 977

-12.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.3

$0.39 LKR 123

-56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.20 LKR 4,810

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 132

$0.41 LKR 130

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 111

$0.48 LKR 153

-27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.32 LKR 100

25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 384

$1.03 LKR 326

17.48%

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

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

$22.0K LKR 7.0M

-19.75%

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

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

$21.4K LKR 6.8M

-1.20%

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

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

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

$4.27 LKR 1,353

$2.20 LKR 697

94.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,737

$7.85 LKR 2,484

90.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.12 LKR 4,784

$10.07 LKR 3,188

50.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 LKR 1,841

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,077

$2.60 LKR 824

30.77%

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

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$321 LKR 101.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.83 LKR 8,808

$11.70 LKR 3,703

137.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.44 LKR 4,569

$8.17 LKR 2,585

76.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

$93.5 LKR 29.6K

-38.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.77 LKR 9,423

$28.36 LKR 8,975

4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 LKR 41.9K

$84.4 LKR 26.7K

56.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

$61.4 LKR 19.4K

39.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 LKR 69.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 LKR 51.0K

$92.4 LKR 29.2K

74.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$428 LKR 135.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$417 LKR 132.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 LKR 87.6K

$177 LKR 55.9K

56.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kandy: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $132 in Kandy and $84 in Ratnapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kandy pays 57% 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: $12 in Kandy vs $10 in Ratnapura. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $286, with Kandy 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

Kandy vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ratnapura is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kandy pays 57% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $132 in Kandy versus $84.4 in Ratnapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kandy pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratnapura – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $12.00 in Kandy. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

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

Safety-wise, Kandy 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 Ratnapura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Kandy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.