Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
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Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$491

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $119 per month in Matale vs $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Matale $119
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $491

A couple spends around $199 per month in Matale vs $795 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Matale $199
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $795

A family of three spends $278 per month in Matale vs $1,100 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Matale $278
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $1,100

Matale is about 76% cheaper than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Matale and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia are more affordable than the global median – Matale 91% lower, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 LKR 618

$1.47 LKR 488

26.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.21 LKR 3,062

$24.34 LKR 8,094

-62.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 LKR 1,537

$7.55 LKR 2,511

-38.81%

Cappuccino

$2.52 LKR 837

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

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.72 LKR 238

-34.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.8

$0.25 LKR 82.2

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 LKR 805

$2.16 LKR 718

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 LKR 1,026

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 565

$1.58 LKR 524

7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.53 LKR 175

-30.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.82 LKR 272

-17.07%

Eggs

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.65 LKR 550

-32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 LKR 5,061

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 LKR 1,616

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 LKR 2,558

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 LKR 2,238

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.82 LKR 272

-29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 LKR 1,357

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 285

$1.34 LKR 444

-35.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 183

$1.04 LKR 345

-47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.82 LKR 273

-36.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 LKR 401

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 141

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.40 LKR 3,460

Wine (Bottle)

$13.45 LKR 4,472

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 635

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 955

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 125

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 311

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 437

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

$42.9K LKR 14.3M

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

$45.8K LKR 15.2M

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

$58.0 LKR 19.3K

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

$3.74 LKR 1,242

$4.26 LKR 1,418

-12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.55 LKR 6,832

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 LKR 1,463

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

$40.73 LKR 13.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.26 LKR 6,072

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.08 LKR 5,679

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 LKR 26.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.86 LKR 13.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 LKR 149.8K

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$242 49.4%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$85 17.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$83 16.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$70 14.2%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$8.8 * 1.8%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

$2 * 0.4%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

- * 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $38 vs $242 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

🕒 Local time

19:05 7:05 PM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

219,827

💱 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

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Between locations

Matale Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 110 km

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Matale
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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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs about 311% more than Matale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $179 per month in Matale and $737 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $119 in Matale and $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That makes Matale about 76% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 533% more in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $119 in Matale and $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $491 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. 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.