Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Kolonnawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $226 a month against $488 in Kolonnawa, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Kolonnawa
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Kolonnawa Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$226

/mo nomad

Kolonnawa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$488

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Kolonnawa

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

A single person spends $226 per month in Matale vs $488 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Matale $226
Kolonnawa $488

A couple spends around $369 per month in Matale vs $794 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Matale $369
Kolonnawa $794

A family of three spends $512 per month in Matale vs $1,100 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Matale $512
Kolonnawa $1,100

Matale is about 54% cheaper than Kolonnawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Matale and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Matale 83% lower, Kolonnawa 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 LKR 608

$3.87 LKR 1,285

-52.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.76 LKR 2,914

$25.33 LKR 8,422

-65.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.39 LKR 1,458

$7.38 LKR 2,453

-40.51%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 816

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

$0.45 LKR 151

$0.71 LKR 236

-36.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 LKR 80.3

$0.25 LKR 82.6

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 LKR 814

$2.16 LKR 718

13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 LKR 590

$3.06 LKR 1,018

-42.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 LKR 484

$1.56 LKR 519

-6.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 LKR 141

$0.53 LKR 178

-20.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 226

$0.58 LKR 192

17.24%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 551

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 LKR 3,262

$10.53 LKR 3,502

-6.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 LKR 1,182

$4.63 LKR 1,539

-23.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 LKR 2,405

$7.32 LKR 2,433

-1.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.75 LKR 2,243

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.85 LKR 281

-38.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 LKR 1,472

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 311

$1.32 LKR 439

-28.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 LKR 188

$1.04 LKR 347

-45.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.77 LKR 255

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 LKR 308

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 LKR 142

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.34 LKR 3,436

Wine (Bottle)

$10.50 LKR 3,489

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 545

$1.77 LKR 588

-7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 LKR 738

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 LKR 134

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 LKR 75.8

$0.35 LKR 116

-34.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 308

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 LKR 383

$1.33 LKR 442

-13.53%

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

$43.9K LKR 14.6M

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

$41.1K LKR 13.7M

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

$59.6 LKR 19.8K

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

$3.67 LKR 1,220

$4.20 LKR 1,397

-12.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.66 LKR 6,870

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 LKR 1,546

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

$37.35 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,188 LKR 394.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.96 LKR 7,965

$18.07 LKR 6,007

32.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.73 LKR 5,562

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 LKR 26.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$10.52 LKR 3,496

$41.69 LKR 13.9K

-74.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.99 LKR 14.3K

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 Kolonnawa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Kolonnawa

$217 44.6%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Kolonnawa

$103 21.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Kolonnawa

$84 17.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Kolonnawa

$70 14.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Kolonnawa

$9.3 * 1.9%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Kolonnawa

$2.8 * 0.6%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Kolonnawa

- * 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 Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $217 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Kolonnawa

🕒 Local time

03:36 3:36 AM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

64,800

💱 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 Kolonnawa 100 km

From you

Matale
Kolonnawa

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 Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolonnawa costs about 116% 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 $338 per month in Matale and $732 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $226 in Matale and $488 in Kolonnawa. That makes Matale about 54% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Kolonnawa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $226 in Matale and $488 in Kolonnawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kolonnawa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $226 in Matale to $488 in Kolonnawa. 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.