Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Anuradhapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Anuradhapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $228 per month in Matale vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $371 per month in Matale vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Matale vs $1,167 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Matale is about 54% cheaper than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Matale and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Matale 83% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.37 LKR 462

$4.03 LKR 1,355

-66.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.01 LKR 3,364

$24.97 LKR 8,391

-59.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 LKR 1,671

$8.21 LKR 2,761

-39.46%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 919

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

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.72 LKR 244

-23.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 LKR 94.6

$0.40 LKR 135

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 765

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 669

$3.38 LKR 1,134

-41.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 LKR 463

$1.71 LKR 573

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 182

$0.55 LKR 185

-1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 208

$0.80 LKR 270

-22.50%

Eggs

$2.45 LKR 824

$2.23 LKR 750

9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 LKR 3,661

$14.26 LKR 4,792

-23.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 LKR 1,387

$4.72 LKR 1,587

-12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,652

$8.28 LKR 2,782

-4.71%

Apples (1kg)

$7.61 LKR 2,556

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 LKR 159

$1.08 LKR 363

-56.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 LKR 1,912

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 402

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 LKR 162

$1.40 LKR 472

-65.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 389

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 LKR 3,333

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 LKR 4,197

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 LKR 608

$2.09 LKR 703

-13.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 963

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 LKR 95.2

$0.36 LKR 120

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 206

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 416

$1.21 LKR 407

2.48%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

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

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

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

$27.06 LKR 9,094

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

$3.41 LKR 1,147

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 LKR 5,068

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,146

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

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 150.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.41 LKR 8,875

$27.71 LKR 9,312

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.27 LKR 6,476

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$11.75 LKR 3,948

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

-69.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 LKR 20.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.4 LKR 28.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$158 LKR 53.2K

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 Matale: July 14, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Matale versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $121 vs $258 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Matale vs Anuradhapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $228 in Matale, $496 in Anuradhapura – roughly 117% apart. Anuradhapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $342 per month in Matale and $744 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Matale and $25.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $228 in Matale and $496 in Anuradhapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $228 in Matale and $496 in Anuradhapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Matale – 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 Matale. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Anuradhapura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.