Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurunegala and Ratnapura

For one person, living costs are similar in Kurunegala and in Ratnapura: $479 and $477 a month, rent and utilities included.

23

Cost of Living Index in Kurunegala
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Kurunegala Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Ratnapura
Learn more

Ratnapura Living Index

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Kurunegala

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$479

/mo nomad

Ratnapura

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$477

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kurunegala and in Ratnapura

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kurunegala and in Ratnapura actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $479 in Kurunegala versus $477 in Ratnapura.

Kurunegala $479
Ratnapura $477

Estimated couple costs with rent: $780 in Kurunegala versus $766 in Ratnapura.

Kurunegala $780
Ratnapura $766

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,081 in Kurunegala versus $1,056 in Ratnapura.

Kurunegala $1,081
Ratnapura $1,056

Monthly costs are close between Kurunegala and Ratnapura; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kurunegala 65% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 LKR 589

$1.98 LKR 654

-10.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.99 LKR 8,277

$9.04 LKR 2,994

176.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 LKR 1,461

$5.96 LKR 1,974

-26.01%

Cappuccino

$2.58 LKR 853

$2.12 LKR 704

21.70%

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

$0.43 LKR 143

$0.75 LKR 247

-42.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.0

$0.47 LKR 156

-42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 741

$1.94 LKR 644

15.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 1,006

$2.67 LKR 883

13.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 LKR 488

$1.85 LKR 614

-20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 LKR 154

$0.78 LKR 259

-39.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 254

$0.61 LKR 204

26.23%

Eggs

$1.72 LKR 570

$1.06 LKR 353

62.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.01 LKR 4,641

$14.90 LKR 4,934

-5.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 LKR 1,634

$6.25 LKR 2,071

-21.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 LKR 2,452

$15.90 LKR 5,266

-53.46%

Apples (1kg)

$6.51 LKR 2,157

$4.27 LKR 1,416

52.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 287

$0.74 LKR 245

17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 LKR 1,493

$4.35 LKR 1,441

3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 LKR 437

$0.95 LKR 314

38.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 342

$1.00 LKR 332

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 255

$1.38 LKR 457

-44.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 311

$0.46 LKR 151

104.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 139

$0.43 LKR 142

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.40 LKR 3,446

$13.09 LKR 4,337

-20.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,217

$12.86 LKR 4,261

-1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 LKR 644

$2.02 LKR 668

-3.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 972

$2.79 LKR 925

5.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 114

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.35 LKR 115

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.43 LKR 143

-27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 307

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 LKR 346

$0.91 LKR 302

14.29%

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

$44.0K LKR 14.6M

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

122.16%

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

$40.3K LKR 13.4M

$19.5K LKR 6.5M

106.49%

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

$59.2 LKR 19.6K

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

$4.32 LKR 1,432

$2.07 LKR 686

108.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.93 LKR 6,932

$7.38 LKR 2,445

183.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.94 LKR 2,963

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 LKR 1,465

$2.40 LKR 793

84.17%

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

$37.41 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,204 LKR 398.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.13 LKR 6,005

$10.42 LKR 3,452

73.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.35 LKR 5,416

$7.54 LKR 2,497

116.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 LKR 26.7K

$83.1 LKR 27.5K

-3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.91 LKR 13.6K

$25.42 LKR 8,419

60.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.7 LKR 25.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.3 LKR 18.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.1 LKR 28.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$150 LKR 49.5K

$172 LKR 57.0K

-13.15%

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 Kurunegala: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kurunegala

$235 49.1%

Ratnapura

$259 54.2% 10.1% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kurunegala

$84 17.6%

Ratnapura

$9.5 * 2% 88.8% $75

Eating Out

Kurunegala

$78 16.4%

Ratnapura

$79 16.6% 0.8% $0.6

Clothing & Footwear

Kurunegala

$70 14.6%

Ratnapura

$57 11.9% 18.9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Kurunegala

$8.9 * 1.9%

Ratnapura

$14 2.9% 55.3% $4.9

Getting Around

Kurunegala

$2 * 0.4%

Ratnapura

$3.9 * 0.8% 96.5% $1.9

Accommodation & Living

Kurunegala

- * 0%

Ratnapura

$55 11.6%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Ratnapura pays 15% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $25.00 in Kurunegala vs $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $259, with Kurunegala cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Kurunegala

🇱🇰 Ratnapura

🕒 Local time

14:00 2:00 PM

Same time as Kurunegala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,300

52,100

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kurunegala Ratnapura 90 km

From you

Kurunegala
Ratnapura

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kurunegala vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Ratnapura. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratnapura – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $25.00 in Kurunegala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Shoppers in Kurunegala pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ratnapura gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kurunegala and Ratnapura are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Ratnapura wins on affordability, Kurunegala on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.