Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolonnawa and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolonnawa and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $483 per month in Kolonnawa vs $481 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $805 per month in Kolonnawa vs $765 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,128 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,050 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Kolonnawa and Ratnapura have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 LKR 1,464

$2.00 LKR 656

123.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.94 LKR 8,523

$9.18 LKR 3,016

182.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 LKR 2,468

$6.13 LKR 2,013

22.51%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LKR 841

$2.08 LKR 683

23.08%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$0.79 LKR 259

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.9

$0.48 LKR 157

-47.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 LKR 723

$1.99 LKR 655

10.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 LKR 1,032

$2.76 LKR 908

13.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 LKR 541

$1.81 LKR 594

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 184

$0.79 LKR 260

-29.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.59 LKR 193

$0.66 LKR 218

-10.61%

Eggs

$1.67 LKR 550

$1.12 LKR 368

49.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 LKR 3,456

$15.15 LKR 4,980

-30.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 LKR 1,478

$6.51 LKR 2,139

-30.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 LKR 2,340

$15.90 LKR 5,226

-55.22%

Apples (1kg)

$7.00 LKR 2,299

$4.32 LKR 1,420

62.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 291

$0.76 LKR 251

17.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 LKR 1,436

$4.36 LKR 1,432

0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 407

$1.02 LKR 334

21.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 334

$1.03 LKR 338

-0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.37 LKR 451

-44.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.48 LKR 156

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 LKR 145

$0.45 LKR 147

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.55 LKR 3,467

$13.10 LKR 4,303

-19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 LKR 3,472

$12.62 LKR 4,148

-16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 LKR 586

$2.11 LKR 692

-15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 LKR 738

$2.84 LKR 933

-20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 LKR 50.2

$0.35 LKR 116

-57.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$0.36 LKR 117

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$0.44 LKR 144

-18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 287

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 443

$0.99 LKR 326

36.36%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

52.74%

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

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

$19.7K LKR 6.5M

112.36%

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

$55.0 LKR 18.1K

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

$4.24 LKR 1,394

$2.01 LKR 662

110.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.30 LKR 7,000

$7.49 LKR 2,462

184.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.02 LKR 2,964

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LKR 1,475

$2.40 LKR 787

87.08%

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

$37.65 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.88 LKR 6,533

$10.79 LKR 3,545

84.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.84 LKR 5,533

$7.76 LKR 2,550

117.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 LKR 26.3K

$85.8 LKR 28.2K

-6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.07 LKR 13.8K

$26.03 LKR 8,553

61.62%

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 Kolonnawa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kolonnawa versus $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Kolonnawa vs $262 in Ratnapura – so Kolonnawa 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

Kolonnawa vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $724 per month in Kolonnawa and $721 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Kolonnawa – 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 Kolonnawa 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 $483 in Kolonnawa and $481 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ratnapura costs $481 versus $483 in Kolonnawa. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Kolonnawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.