Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Polonnaruwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $510 in Polonnaruwa, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Polonnaruwa
Learn more

Polonnaruwa Living Index

Jump to prices

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Polonnaruwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$510

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Polonnaruwa

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

A single person spends $119 per month in Matale vs $510 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Matale $119
Polonnaruwa $510

A couple spends around $199 per month in Matale vs $829 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Matale $199
Polonnaruwa $829

A family of three spends $278 per month in Matale vs $1,148 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Matale $278
Polonnaruwa $1,148

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 LKR 618

$3.89 LKR 1,294

-52.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.21 LKR 3,063

$25.28 LKR 8,410

-63.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 LKR 1,537

$7.32 LKR 2,435

-36.89%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LKR 850

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

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.69 LKR 228

-31.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 LKR 805

$2.17 LKR 721

11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 990

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

$0.81 LKR 269

-16.05%

Eggs

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.70 LKR 567

-34.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 LKR 5,069

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 LKR 1,639

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 LKR 2,547

Apples (1kg)

$6.48 LKR 2,156

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.81 LKR 269

-28.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 LKR 1,414

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 286

$1.27 LKR 423

-32.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 183

$1.04 LKR 345

-47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.77 LKR 255

-32.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 LKR 419

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 139

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 LKR 3,358

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 LKR 4,513

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 LKR 622

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 990

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 124

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 102

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 LKR 285

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 439

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

$44.4K LKR 14.8M

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)

$58.0 LKR 19.3K

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

$3.74 LKR 1,242

$4.27 LKR 1,419

-12.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 LKR 6,772

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 LKR 1,532

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

$40.23 LKR 13.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.01 LKR 5,989

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.32 LKR 5,761

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 LKR 26.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.05 LKR 13.7K

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 Polonnaruwa: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Polonnaruwa

$242 47.5%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Polonnaruwa

$104 20.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Polonnaruwa

$83 16.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Polonnaruwa

$70 13.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Polonnaruwa

$9.2 * 1.8%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Polonnaruwa

$1.9 * 0.4%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Polonnaruwa

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

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Polonnaruwa

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 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 Polonnaruwa 67 km

From you

Matale
Polonnaruwa

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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polonnaruwa costs about 327% 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 $765 in Polonnaruwa. 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 $510 in Polonnaruwa. That makes Matale about 77% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 533% more in Polonnaruwa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $119 in Matale and $510 in Polonnaruwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.