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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $231 per month in Matale vs $489 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $382 per month in Matale vs $823 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $532 per month in Matale vs $1,157 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Matale is about 53% 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 455

$3.91 LKR 1,296

-64.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.87 LKR 3,274

$25.39 LKR 8,419

-61.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 LKR 1,694

$8.41 LKR 2,788

-39.24%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 871

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

$0.55 LKR 184

$0.69 LKR 229

-20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 LKR 93.5

$0.38 LKR 125

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 791

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 649

$3.39 LKR 1,125

-42.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 LKR 435

$1.72 LKR 572

-23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.56 LKR 186

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 LKR 219

$0.85 LKR 283

-22.35%

Eggs

$2.45 LKR 812

$2.22 LKR 736

10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 LKR 3,515

$13.83 LKR 4,587

-23.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 LKR 1,362

$4.69 LKR 1,555

-12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 LKR 2,658

$8.02 LKR 2,659

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,406

Banana (1kg)

$0.44 LKR 145

$1.11 LKR 368

-60.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,958

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 364

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 LKR 152

$1.42 LKR 471

-67.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 382

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 200

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,236

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 LKR 577

$2.07 LKR 685

-15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 953

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 LKR 93.7

$0.35 LKR 117

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 186

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 415

$1.20 LKR 396

4.17%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

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

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

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

$26.43 LKR 8,764

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

$3.25 LKR 1,079

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.92 LKR 4,948

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,090

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

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 145.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.55 LKR 8,802

$28.02 LKR 9,292

-5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 LKR 6,504

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$11.92 LKR 3,952

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

-69.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.4 LKR 20.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.5 LKR 27.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$159 LKR 52.7K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 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: $119 vs $257 – 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: $231 in Matale, $489 in Anuradhapura – roughly 111% apart. Anuradhapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $347 per month in Matale and $734 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 $231 in Matale and $489 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 $231 in Matale and $489 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.