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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Katunayaka vs $531 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $856 per month in Katunayaka vs $838 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,192 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,145 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Katunayaka is about 2% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Katunayaka and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Katunayaka 61% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,359

$2.21 LKR 737

84.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.94 LKR 8,320

$10.19 LKR 3,399

144.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 LKR 2,714

$6.55 LKR 2,184

24.27%

Cappuccino

$2.77 LKR 923

$2.40 LKR 800

15.42%

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

$0.70 LKR 233

$0.80 LKR 267

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.52 LKR 173

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 LKR 791

$2.12 LKR 706

11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,106

$3.02 LKR 1,008

9.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LKR 591

$1.98 LKR 661

-10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.83 LKR 277

-32.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 273

$0.72 LKR 239

13.89%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 717

$1.19 LKR 399

80.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 LKR 4,617

$16.56 LKR 5,523

-16.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,533

$7.21 LKR 2,404

-36.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 LKR 2,748

$17.39 LKR 5,799

-52.62%

Apples (1kg)

$7.45 LKR 2,485

$4.59 LKR 1,532

62.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 369

$0.78 LKR 259

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.85 LKR 1,952

$4.74 LKR 1,583

23.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 401

$1.08 LKR 361

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 368

$1.17 LKR 389

-5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 457

$1.58 LKR 528

-13.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 402

$0.53 LKR 176

126.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 197

$0.48 LKR 159

22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 LKR 3,301

$14.80 LKR 4,936

-33.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 LKR 4,214

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 695

$2.31 LKR 771

-9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 942

$3.20 LKR 1,067

-11.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.52 LKR 175

-36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.34 LKR 114

67.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 399

$1.07 LKR 356

12.15%

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

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

21.76%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

59.56%

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

$60.7 LKR 20.2K

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

$4.21 LKR 1,405

$2.26 LKR 754

86.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.30 LKR 5,103

$7.81 LKR 2,605

95.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,410

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,136

$2.60 LKR 869

31.15%

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

$36.21 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$434 LKR 144.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.54 LKR 9,185

$11.64 LKR 3,883

136.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.17 LKR 6,395

$8.47 LKR 2,824

126.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 LKR 23.4K

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

-25.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.82 LKR 12.9K

$28.23 LKR 9,416

37.51%

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 Katunayaka: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Katunayaka versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Katunayaka vs $283 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

Yes – Ratnapura is pricier by about 2%, 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 $780 per month in Katunayaka 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 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 $520 in Katunayaka and $531 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.