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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $513 per month in Katunayaka vs $481 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Katunayaka vs $765 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,156 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,050 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Katunayaka costs about 7% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Katunayaka and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Katunayaka 63% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 LKR 1,448

$2.00 LKR 656

120.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.43 LKR 8,685

$9.18 LKR 3,016

187.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 LKR 2,541

$6.13 LKR 2,013

26.10%

Cappuccino

$2.55 LKR 838

$2.08 LKR 683

22.60%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.79 LKR 259

-6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.3

$0.48 LKR 157

-47.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 739

$1.99 LKR 655

13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 997

$2.76 LKR 908

9.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.81 LKR 594

-12.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 173

$0.79 LKR 260

-32.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 252

$0.66 LKR 218

16.67%

Eggs

$1.61 LKR 530

$1.12 LKR 368

43.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 LKR 4,269

$15.15 LKR 4,980

-14.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,692

$6.51 LKR 2,139

-20.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 LKR 2,352

$15.90 LKR 5,226

-54.97%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 LKR 2,171

$4.32 LKR 1,420

53.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 289

$0.76 LKR 251

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 LKR 1,423

$4.36 LKR 1,432

-0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 402

$1.02 LKR 334

19.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$1.03 LKR 338

-2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.37 LKR 451

-44.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 289

$0.48 LKR 156

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

$0.45 LKR 147

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 LKR 3,436

$13.10 LKR 4,303

-20.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 LKR 4,534

$12.62 LKR 4,148

9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 LKR 650

$2.11 LKR 692

-6.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 912

$2.84 LKR 933

-2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 116

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$0.36 LKR 117

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.44 LKR 144

-20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$0.99 LKR 326

35.35%

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

$29.9K LKR 9.8M

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

52.23%

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

$42.3K LKR 13.9M

$19.7K LKR 6.5M

114.32%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

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

$4.27 LKR 1,404

$2.01 LKR 662

112.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.54 LKR 6,748

$7.49 LKR 2,462

174.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.02 LKR 2,964

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 LKR 1,434

$2.40 LKR 787

81.67%

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

$37.49 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.33 LKR 6,680

$10.79 LKR 3,545

88.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.91 LKR 5,557

$7.76 LKR 2,550

117.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 LKR 25.8K

$85.8 LKR 28.2K

-8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.30 LKR 13.9K

$26.03 LKR 8,553

62.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 LKR 25.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.0 LKR 17.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.2 LKR 28.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 55.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Katunayaka: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Katunayaka versus $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Katunayaka vs $262 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 – Katunayaka is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $769 per month in Katunayaka and $721 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% 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 $26.00 in Katunayaka and $9.00 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 $513 in Katunayaka and $481 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.