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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $861 per month in Katunayaka vs $858 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,187 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,183 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 60% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,381

$2.19 LKR 734

88.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 LKR 8,534

$10.13 LKR 3,393

151.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 LKR 2,811

$6.81 LKR 2,283

23.20%

Cappuccino

$2.65 LKR 889

$2.37 LKR 795

11.81%

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

$0.68 LKR 229

$0.87 LKR 291

-21.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 125

$0.49 LKR 163

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 767

$2.12 LKR 712

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,113

$2.94 LKR 986

12.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.97 LKR 661

-13.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.81 LKR 271

-35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 269

$0.72 LKR 241

11.11%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 717

$1.24 LKR 416

72.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.03 LKR 4,701

$16.47 LKR 5,519

-14.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,587

$6.97 LKR 2,335

-31.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 LKR 2,636

$17.18 LKR 5,757

-54.19%

Apples (1kg)

$7.47 LKR 2,502

$4.66 LKR 1,561

60.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 369

$0.77 LKR 259

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,923

$4.78 LKR 1,601

20.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 418

$1.06 LKR 354

17.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 385

$1.12 LKR 377

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 475

$1.50 LKR 501

-5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 398

$0.52 LKR 174

128.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 200

$0.52 LKR 174

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 LKR 3,342

$14.29 LKR 4,787

-30.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 LKR 4,269

$12.44 LKR 4,169

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 681

$2.30 LKR 772

-11.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 LKR 979

$3.21 LKR 1,076

-9.03%

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)

$0.36 LKR 119

$0.53 LKR 177

-32.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$0.35 LKR 116

62.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.08 LKR 360

16.67%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

24.10%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

64.33%

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

$60.1 LKR 20.1K

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

$4.25 LKR 1,425

$2.26 LKR 756

88.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,979

$7.88 LKR 2,641

88.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,384

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,095

$2.71 LKR 909

20.66%

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

$37.44 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.75 LKR 9,297

$11.60 LKR 3,887

139.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.66 LKR 6,588

$8.24 LKR 2,762

138.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 LKR 23.6K

$94.1 LKR 31.5K

-25.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.11 LKR 12.8K

$28.63 LKR 9,592

33.11%

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 Katunayaka: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Katunayaka versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Katunayaka vs $281 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 $801 per month in Katunayaka and $801 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Katunayaka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

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 $534 in Katunayaka and $534 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Katunayaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.