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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $506 per month in Kolonnawa vs $524 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $836 per month in Kolonnawa vs $845 in Ratnapura, rent included.

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

Kolonnawa is about 4% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kolonnawa and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Kolonnawa 62% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 LKR 1,278

$2.22 LKR 704

81.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 LKR 7,882

$10.13 LKR 3,208

145.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 LKR 2,699

$6.73 LKR 2,132

26.75%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 841

$2.36 LKR 746

12.71%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.86 LKR 271

-20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.52 LKR 166

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 728

$2.16 LKR 685

6.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,054

$3.07 LKR 972

8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 539

$2.06 LKR 652

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 166

$0.81 LKR 256

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 LKR 222

$0.67 LKR 211

4.48%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 676

$1.24 LKR 393

72.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 LKR 2,700

$16.48 LKR 5,217

-48.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,519

$6.96 LKR 2,204

-31.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 LKR 2,611

$17.55 LKR 5,554

-52.99%

Apples (1kg)

$7.38 LKR 2,335

$4.81 LKR 1,521

53.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 350

$0.83 LKR 264

33.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,813

$4.74 LKR 1,502

20.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 400

$1.05 LKR 331

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 364

$1.17 LKR 370

-1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 437

$1.56 LKR 493

-11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 378

$0.56 LKR 178

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 164

$0.48 LKR 152

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,241

$14.48 LKR 4,584

-29.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.98 LKR 3,475

$13.40 LKR 4,241

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 645

$2.31 LKR 732

-11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 LKR 744

$3.09 LKR 977

-23.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 LKR 123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$0.41 LKR 130

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$0.48 LKR 153

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 182

$0.32 LKR 100

81.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 380

$1.03 LKR 326

16.50%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

$22.0K LKR 7.0M

20.10%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

$21.4K LKR 6.8M

64.63%

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

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

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

$4.38 LKR 1,386

$2.20 LKR 697

99.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.88 LKR 4,710

$7.85 LKR 2,484

89.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.09 LKR 3,193

$10.07 LKR 3,188

0.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.65 LKR 522

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$2.60 LKR 824

29.62%

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

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 137.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 8,580

$11.70 LKR 3,703

131.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 LKR 6,057

$8.17 LKR 2,585

134.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

$93.5 LKR 29.6K

-26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

$28.36 LKR 8,975

35.90%

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 Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa versus $10 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Kolonnawa vs $286 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

Ratnapura costs about 4% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $759 per month in Kolonnawa and $787 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $506 in Kolonnawa and $524 in Ratnapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Ratnapura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $506 in Kolonnawa and $524 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $506 versus $524 in Ratnapura. 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 Kolonnawa. 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.