Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Katunayaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $511 in Katunayaka, 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 Katunayaka
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Katunayaka Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Katunayaka

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Katunayaka

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

A single person spends $119 per month in Matale vs $511 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Matale $119
Katunayaka $511

A couple spends around $199 per month in Matale vs $831 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Matale $199
Katunayaka $831

A family of three spends $278 per month in Matale vs $1,150 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Matale $278
Katunayaka $1,150

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 LKR 618

$3.90 LKR 1,297

-52.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.21 LKR 3,063

$25.05 LKR 8,331

-63.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 LKR 1,537

$7.69 LKR 2,558

-39.92%

Cappuccino

$2.55 LKR 847

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

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.67 LKR 224

-29.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.8

$0.27 LKR 89.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 LKR 805

$2.17 LKR 723

11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 LKR 1,016

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 565

$1.62 LKR 540

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.53 LKR 178

-30.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.79 LKR 264

-13.92%

Eggs

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.63 LKR 543

-31.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.37 LKR 5,111

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,684

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.57 LKR 2,519

Apples (1kg)

$6.46 LKR 2,149

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.89 LKR 297

-34.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 LKR 1,424

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 286

$1.29 LKR 428

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 183

$1.04 LKR 346

-47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.81 LKR 270

-35.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 LKR 401

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 151

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 LKR 3,352

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 LKR 4,456

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 LKR 621

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 941

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 103

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 311

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 439

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

$44.3K LKR 14.7M

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

$44.9K LKR 14.9M

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

$55.9 LKR 18.6K

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

$3.74 LKR 1,242

$4.22 LKR 1,405

-11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.66 LKR 6,870

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 LKR 1,504

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

$40.29 LKR 13.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.02 LKR 5,993

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.52 LKR 5,829

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 LKR 26.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.78 LKR 13.9K

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 Katunayaka: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Katunayaka

$243 47.6%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Katunayaka

$106 20.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Katunayaka

$81 15.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Katunayaka

$70 13.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Katunayaka

$9 * 1.8%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Katunayaka

$1.9 * 0.4%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Katunayaka

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

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Katunayaka

🕒 Local time

13:23 1:23 PM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

84,643

💱 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 Katunayaka 88 km

From you

Matale
Katunayaka

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 Katunayaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Katunayaka is pricier by about 328%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $179 per month in Matale and $767 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 536% more in Katunayaka, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9 in Matale and $25 in Katunayaka. 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 $511 in Katunayaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Katunayaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $511 in Katunayaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.