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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Kolonnawa vs $534 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $833 per month in Kolonnawa vs $858 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,147 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,183 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Kolonnawa is about 3% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 LKR 1,370

$2.19 LKR 734

86.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.71 LKR 8,280

$10.13 LKR 3,393

143.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,721

$6.81 LKR 2,283

19.24%

Cappuccino

$2.76 LKR 923

$2.37 LKR 795

16.46%

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

$0.68 LKR 228

$0.87 LKR 291

-21.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.49 LKR 163

-16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 773

$2.12 LKR 712

8.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,148

$2.94 LKR 986

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 564

$1.97 LKR 661

-14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.81 LKR 271

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 240

$0.72 LKR 241

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 706

$1.24 LKR 416

70.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 LKR 2,766

$16.47 LKR 5,519

-49.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,553

$6.97 LKR 2,335

-33.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 LKR 2,753

$17.18 LKR 5,757

-52.15%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 LKR 2,548

$4.66 LKR 1,561

63.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 375

$0.77 LKR 259

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.82 LKR 1,949

$4.78 LKR 1,601

21.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.06 LKR 354

14.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 369

$1.12 LKR 377

-1.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 472

$1.50 LKR 501

-6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.52 LKR 174

123.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.52 LKR 174

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 LKR 3,330

$14.29 LKR 4,787

-30.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 LKR 3,443

$12.44 LKR 4,169

-17.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 657

$2.30 LKR 772

-14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 LKR 781

$3.21 LKR 1,076

-27.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.41 LKR 139

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.53 LKR 177

-37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$0.35 LKR 116

74.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 419

$1.08 LKR 360

15.74%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

22.15%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.5M

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

60.45%

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

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

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

$4.25 LKR 1,423

$2.26 LKR 756

88.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.11 LKR 5,062

$7.88 LKR 2,641

91.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,426

$10.10 LKR 3,384

1.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.70 LKR 571

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,128

$2.71 LKR 909

24.35%

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

$37.46 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 147.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 LKR 9,241

$11.60 LKR 3,887

137.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,471

$8.24 LKR 2,762

134.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 LKR 23.3K

$94.1 LKR 31.5K

-26.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

$28.63 LKR 9,592

34.16%

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 Kolonnawa: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kolonnawa versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Kolonnawa vs $281 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 3% 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 $780 per month in Kolonnawa and $801 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $520 in Kolonnawa and $534 in Ratnapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $520 in Kolonnawa and $534 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $520 versus $534 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.