Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Bandarawela

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $451 in Bandarawela, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Bandarawela
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Bandarawela Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Bandarawela

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$451

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Bandarawela

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

A single person spends $119 per month in Matale vs $451 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Matale $119
Bandarawela $451

A couple spends around $199 per month in Matale vs $743 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Matale $199
Bandarawela $743

A family of three spends $278 per month in Matale vs $1,034 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Matale $278
Bandarawela $1,034

Matale is about 74% cheaper than Bandarawela, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Matale and Bandarawela are more affordable than the global median – Matale 91% lower, Bandarawela 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 LKR 618

$1.32 LKR 439

40.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.21 LKR 3,063

$24.43 LKR 8,126

-62.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 LKR 1,537

$7.60 LKR 2,527

-39.21%

Cappuccino

$1.49 LKR 494

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

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.61 LKR 204

-22.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.8

$0.27 LKR 90.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 LKR 805

$2.16 LKR 719

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 LKR 806

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 565

$1.62 LKR 539

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.34 LKR 115

8.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.62 LKR 206

9.68%

Eggs

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.05 LKR 350

5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 LKR 5,170

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 LKR 1,189

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 LKR 2,584

Apples (1kg)

$6.75 LKR 2,246

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.57 LKR 190

1.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 LKR 1,379

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 286

$1.28 LKR 427

-32.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 183

$0.86 LKR 286

-36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.55 LKR 183

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 LKR 417

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 140

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 LKR 3,196

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 LKR 4,573

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 627

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 966

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 124

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 103

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 291

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 LKR 455

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

$43.3K LKR 14.4M

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

$46.1K LKR 15.3M

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

$56.6 LKR 18.8K

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

$3.74 LKR 1,242

$3.36 LKR 1,117

11.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.96 LKR 1,982

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.04 LKR 2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 LKR 1,495

Cinema Ticket

$2.37 LKR 787

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

$40.60 LKR 13.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K LKR 5.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.42 LKR 6,125

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.70 LKR 5,887

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 LKR 26.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.25 LKR 14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 LKR 61.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bandarawela: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Bandarawela

$231 51.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Bandarawela

$71 15.8%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Bandarawela

$70 15.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Bandarawela

$66 14.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Bandarawela

$11 2.4%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Bandarawela

$1.9 * 0.4%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Bandarawela

- * 0%

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9 in Matale versus $24 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $38 vs $231 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Bandarawela

🕒 Local time

14:28 2:28 PM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

8,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Matale Bandarawela 82 km

From you

Matale
Bandarawela

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

Matale vs Bandarawela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $119 in Matale, $451 in Bandarawela – Matale comes out roughly 74% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $179 per month in Matale and $677 in Bandarawela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9 in Matale and $24 in Bandarawela. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $119 in Matale and $451 in Bandarawela. That makes Matale about 74% cheaper.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $119 in Matale and $451 in Bandarawela, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Bandarawela has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $451 in Bandarawela. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.