Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Kalutara

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $226 a month against $608 in Kalutara, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Kalutara
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Kalutara Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$226

/mo nomad

Kalutara

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Kalutara

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 Kalutara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $226 in Matale versus $608 in Kalutara.

Matale $226
Kalutara $608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $369 in Matale versus $888 in Kalutara.

Matale $369
Kalutara $888

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $512 in Matale versus $1,168 in Kalutara.

Matale $512
Kalutara $1,168

Living in Matale costs roughly 63% less than in Kalutara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Matale 83% lower, Kalutara 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 LKR 608

$3.92 LKR 1,303

-53.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.76 LKR 2,914

$24.40 LKR 8,112

-64.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.39 LKR 1,458

$7.72 LKR 2,566

-43.13%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 823

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

$0.45 LKR 151

$0.69 LKR 228

-34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 LKR 80.3

$0.25 LKR 82.7

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 LKR 814

$2.14 LKR 710

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 LKR 590

$2.99 LKR 994

-40.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 LKR 484

$1.56 LKR 520

-6.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 LKR 141

$0.53 LKR 175

-20.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 226

$0.81 LKR 269

-16.05%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 551

$1.69 LKR 561

-1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 LKR 3,262

$13.98 LKR 4,649

-29.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 LKR 1,182

$4.93 LKR 1,638

-27.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 LKR 2,405

$7.47 LKR 2,484

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$6.52 LKR 2,167

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.87 LKR 288

-40.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 LKR 1,475

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 311

$1.33 LKR 441

-29.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 LKR 188

$1.04 LKR 346

-45.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.83 LKR 277

-33.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 295

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 LKR 3,368

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,246

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 545

$1.89 LKR 627

-13.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 LKR 993

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 LKR 41.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.12 LKR 3,031

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 125

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 LKR 75.8

$0.18 LKR 61.2

27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 LKR 285

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 LKR 383

$1.32 LKR 438

-12.88%

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

$44.1K LKR 14.7M

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

$40.0K LKR 13.3M

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

$58.3 LKR 19.4K

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

$3.67 LKR 1,220

$4.20 LKR 1,396

-12.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.29 LKR 6,747

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.14 LKR 3,040

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 LKR 1,489

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

$37.10 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,220 LKR 405.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.96 LKR 7,965

$18.31 LKR 6,088

30.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 LKR 5,510

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 LKR 25.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$10.52 LKR 3,496

$42.30 LKR 14.1K

-75.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.99 LKR 14.3K

$85.6 LKR 28.4K

-49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.1 LKR 20.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 LKR 54.1K

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 Matale: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kalutara: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Kalutara

$237 38.9%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Kalutara

$105 17.2%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Kalutara

$86 14.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Kalutara

$83 13.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Kalutara

$70 11.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Kalutara

$18 3%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Kalutara

$11 1.8%

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $9 in Matale vs $24 in Kalutara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $237 per month, with Matale cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Kalutara

🕒 Local time

02:50 2:50 AM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

39,600

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Matale Kalutara 120 km

From you

Matale
Kalutara

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 Kalutara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matale wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Kalutara. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Matale the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $338 in Matale and $913 in Kalutara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you’ll spend $226 per month in Matale versus $608 in Kalutara – Matale is about 63% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Kalutara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Matale 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, Matale and Kalutara are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.