Cost of Living Comparison Between Kataragama and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Kataragama and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $532 per month in Kataragama vs $534 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $853 per month in Kataragama vs $858 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,174 per month in Kataragama vs $1,183 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Kataragama and Ratnapura have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 LKR 1,333

$2.19 LKR 734

81.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.92 LKR 8,349

$10.13 LKR 3,393

146.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 LKR 2,724

$6.81 LKR 2,283

19.38%

Cappuccino

$2.72 LKR 910

$2.37 LKR 795

14.77%

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

$0.72 LKR 243

$0.87 LKR 291

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.49 LKR 163

-16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 761

$2.12 LKR 712

7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 LKR 1,153

$2.94 LKR 986

17.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 570

$1.97 LKR 661

-13.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.81 LKR 271

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 273

$0.72 LKR 241

13.89%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 718

$1.24 LKR 416

72.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 LKR 4,661

$16.47 LKR 5,519

-15.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 LKR 1,544

$6.97 LKR 2,335

-33.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 LKR 2,651

$17.18 LKR 5,757

-53.96%

Apples (1kg)

$7.56 LKR 2,533

$4.66 LKR 1,561

62.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 358

$0.77 LKR 259

38.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 LKR 1,931

$4.78 LKR 1,601

20.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 416

$1.06 LKR 354

16.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 374

$1.12 LKR 377

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 456

$1.50 LKR 501

-9.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 387

$0.52 LKR 174

121.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 198

$0.52 LKR 174

13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 LKR 3,339

$14.29 LKR 4,787

-30.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,255

$12.44 LKR 4,169

2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 681

$2.30 LKR 772

-11.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 959

$3.21 LKR 1,076

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$0.41 LKR 139

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.53 LKR 177

-37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.35 LKR 116

62.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 420

$1.08 LKR 360

15.74%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

21.24%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

60.73%

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

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

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

$4.29 LKR 1,438

$2.26 LKR 756

89.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,148

$7.88 LKR 2,641

94.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,384

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,099

$2.71 LKR 909

21.03%

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

$36.58 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 LKR 9,281

$11.60 LKR 3,887

138.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 LKR 6,543

$8.24 LKR 2,762

137.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$94.1 LKR 31.5K

-26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.10 LKR 12.8K

$28.63 LKR 9,592

33.08%

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 56.9K

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 Kataragama: July 28, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kataragama versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Kataragama vs $281 in Ratnapura – so Kataragama 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

Kataragama vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $798 per month in Kataragama 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 Kataragama and $10.00 in Ratnapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $532 in Kataragama and $534 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kataragama – 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 Kataragama. 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.