Cost of Living Comparison Between Katunayaka and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Katunayaka and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Katunayaka vs $524 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $863 per month in Katunayaka vs $845 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,201 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,166 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Katunayaka and Ratnapura have comparable living costs — the differences are in the details.

Both Katunayaka and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Katunayaka 61% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,242

$2.22 LKR 703

77.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.24 LKR 7,978

$10.13 LKR 3,204

149.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 LKR 2,641

$6.73 LKR 2,129

24.07%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 871

$2.36 LKR 745

16.53%

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

$0.67 LKR 213

$0.86 LKR 270

-22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 128

$0.52 LKR 166

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 LKR 758

$2.16 LKR 684

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 LKR 1,043

$3.07 LKR 971

7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 539

$2.06 LKR 651

-16.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 166

$0.81 LKR 256

-35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 276

$0.67 LKR 211

29.85%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 705

$1.24 LKR 393

79.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 LKR 4,531

$16.48 LKR 5,211

-13.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,453

$6.96 LKR 2,201

-33.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,493

$17.55 LKR 5,548

-55.04%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,330

$4.81 LKR 1,519

53.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 341

$0.83 LKR 264

30.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,812

$4.74 LKR 1,500

20.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 394

$1.05 LKR 331

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 347

$1.17 LKR 369

-5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 434

$1.56 LKR 492

-12.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 374

$0.56 LKR 178

110.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 188

$0.48 LKR 151

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,161

$14.48 LKR 4,579

-30.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 LKR 3,988

$13.40 LKR 4,236

-5.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 654

$2.31 LKR 731

-10.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 900

$3.09 LKR 976

-7.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 LKR 123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 122

$0.41 LKR 130

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 111

$0.48 LKR 153

-27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$0.32 LKR 100

78.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 400

$1.03 LKR 326

23.30%

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

$27.1K LKR 8.6M

$22.0K LKR 7.0M

23.10%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.1M

$21.4K LKR 6.8M

63.47%

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

$60.4 LKR 19.1K

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

$4.37 LKR 1,382

$2.20 LKR 696

98.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.06 LKR 4,763

$7.85 LKR 2,482

91.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.07 LKR 3,184

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,069

$2.60 LKR 823

30.00%

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

$36.84 LKR 11.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 140.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.40 LKR 8,661

$11.70 LKR 3,699

134.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 LKR 6,156

$8.17 LKR 2,582

138.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 LKR 21.6K

$93.5 LKR 29.6K

-26.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.92 LKR 12.3K

$28.36 LKR 8,964

37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$84.4 LKR 26.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.4 LKR 19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LKR 29.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 LKR 55.9K

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 Katunayaka: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Katunayaka versus $84 in Ratnapura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Katunayaka versus $10 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Katunayaka vs $286 in Ratnapura – so Katunayaka 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

Katunayaka vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $787 per month in Katunayaka and $787 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 Katunayaka 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 $524 in Katunayaka and $524 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Katunayaka – 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 Katunayaka. 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.