Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Kandana

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $509 in Kandana, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Kandana
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Kandana Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Kandana

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$509

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Kandana

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

A single person spends $119 per month in Matale vs $509 in Kandana, rent included.

Matale $119
Kandana $509

A couple spends around $199 per month in Matale vs $827 in Kandana, rent included.

Matale $199
Kandana $827

A family of three spends $278 per month in Matale vs $1,145 in Kandana, rent included.

Matale $278
Kandana $1,145

Matale is about 77% cheaper than Kandana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Matale and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Matale 91% lower, Kandana 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 LKR 618

$3.76 LKR 1,252

-50.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.21 LKR 3,063

$25.18 LKR 8,377

-63.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 LKR 1,537

$7.45 LKR 2,477

-37.99%

Cappuccino

$2.43 LKR 808

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

$0.27 LKR 90.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 LKR 805

$2.18 LKR 726

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,025

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 565

$1.58 LKR 526

7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.54 LKR 178

-31.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.75 LKR 248

-9.33%

Eggs

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.65 LKR 549

-32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.19 LKR 5,051

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 LKR 1,622

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 LKR 2,581

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 LKR 2,238

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.82 LKR 273

-29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 LKR 1,368

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 286

$1.28 LKR 426

-32.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 183

$1.03 LKR 343

-46.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.82 LKR 271

-36.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 LKR 413

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 LKR 3,378

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 LKR 4,464

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 LKR 623

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 988

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 111

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 LKR 288

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 LKR 457

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

$44.2K LKR 14.7M

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

$45.5K LKR 15.1M

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

$57.5 LKR 19.1K

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

$3.74 LKR 1,242

$4.30 LKR 1,430

-13.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.55 LKR 6,835

Cinema Ticket

$4.45 LKR 1,480

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

$40.32 LKR 13.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.24 LKR 6,065

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.49 LKR 5,817

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 LKR 26.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 LKR 13.6K

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 Kandana: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Kandana

$243 47.7%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Kandana

$103 20.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Kandana

$82 16.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Kandana

$70 13.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Kandana

$8.9 * 1.8%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Kandana

$2.1 * 0.4%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Kandana

- * 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 $25 in Kandana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $38 vs $243 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Kandana

🕒 Local time

13:24 1:24 PM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

15,000

💱 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 Kandana 93 km

From you

Matale
Kandana

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 Kandana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kandana is pricier by about 326%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $179 per month in Matale and $764 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 534% more in Kandana, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9 in Matale and $25 in Kandana. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $119 in Matale and $509 in Kandana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kandana has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $509 in Kandana. 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.