Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Katunayaka and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $511 in Katunayaka, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Katunayaka
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Katunayaka Living Index

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Katunayaka

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$511

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Katunayaka and in Matale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Katunayaka and in Matale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $511 per month in Katunayaka vs $119 in Matale, rent included.

Katunayaka $511
Matale $119

A couple spends around $831 per month in Katunayaka vs $199 in Matale, rent included.

Katunayaka $831
Matale $199

A family of three spends $1,150 per month in Katunayaka vs $278 in Matale, rent included.

Katunayaka $1,150
Matale $278

Katunayaka costs about 328% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Katunayaka and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Katunayaka 62% lower, Matale 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 LKR 1,297

$1.86 LKR 618

109.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.05 LKR 8,331

$9.21 LKR 3,063

171.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 LKR 2,558

$4.62 LKR 1,537

66.45%

Cappuccino

$2.55 LKR 847

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

$0.67 LKR 224

$0.47 LKR 157

42.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.9

$0.27 LKR 89.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 LKR 723

$2.42 LKR 805

-10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 LKR 1,016

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 540

$1.70 LKR 565

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 178

$0.37 LKR 123

43.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 264

$0.68 LKR 227

16.18%

Eggs

$1.63 LKR 543

$1.11 LKR 368

46.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.37 LKR 5,111

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,684

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.57 LKR 2,519

Apples (1kg)

$6.46 LKR 2,149

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 297

$0.58 LKR 192

53.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 LKR 1,424

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 428

$0.86 LKR 286

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 346

$0.55 LKR 183

89.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 270

$0.52 LKR 172

55.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 LKR 401

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 151

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 LKR 3,352

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 LKR 4,456

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 LKR 621

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 941

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 103

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 311

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 439

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

$44.3K LKR 14.7M

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

$44.9K LKR 14.9M

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

$55.9 LKR 18.6K

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

$4.22 LKR 1,405

$3.74 LKR 1,242

12.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.66 LKR 6,870

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 LKR 1,504

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

$40.29 LKR 13.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.02 LKR 5,993

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.52 LKR 5,829

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 LKR 26.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.78 LKR 13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 LKR 61.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

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

Last update for Katunayaka: November 1, 2026

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Katunayaka

$243 47.6%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Katunayaka

$106 20.7%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Katunayaka

$81 15.8%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Katunayaka

$70 13.8%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Katunayaka

$9 * 1.8%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Katunayaka

$1.9 * 0.4%

Matale

–

Accommodation & Living

Katunayaka

- * 0%

Matale

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Katunayaka versus $9 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $38 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Katunayaka

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

01:41 1:41 AM

Same time as Katunayaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

84,643

40,800

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Katunayaka Matale 88 km

From you

Katunayaka
Matale

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Katunayaka vs Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Katunayaka is pricier by about 328%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $767 per month in Katunayaka and $179 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 536% more in Katunayaka, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Katunayaka and $9 in Matale. 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 $511 in Katunayaka and $119 in Matale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Katunayaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $511 in Katunayaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.