Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Wattala

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $574 in Wattala, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Wattala
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Wattala Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Wattala

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$574

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Wattala

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

A single person spends $119 per month in Matale vs $574 in Wattala, rent included.

Matale $119
Wattala $574

A couple spends around $199 per month in Matale vs $951 in Wattala, rent included.

Matale $199
Wattala $951

A family of three spends $278 per month in Matale vs $1,328 in Wattala, rent included.

Matale $278
Wattala $1,328

Matale is about 79% cheaper than Wattala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Matale and Wattala are more affordable than the global median – Matale 91% lower, Wattala 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 LKR 618

$3.83 LKR 1,274

-51.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.21 LKR 3,063

$24.35 LKR 8,098

-62.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 LKR 1,537

$7.64 LKR 2,540

-39.53%

Cappuccino

$2.48 LKR 824

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

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.68 LKR 227

-30.88%

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

$2.14 LKR 712

13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 1,011

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 565

$1.59 LKR 528

6.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.54 LKR 178

-31.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.77 LKR 256

-11.69%

Eggs

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.64 LKR 545

-32.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 LKR 4,655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 LKR 1,582

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 LKR 2,440

Apples (1kg)

$6.41 LKR 2,133

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.80 LKR 265

-27.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 LKR 1,452

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 286

$1.27 LKR 422

-32.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 183

$1.05 LKR 348

-47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.77 LKR 256

-32.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 315

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 LKR 143

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 LKR 3,411

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,236

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 630

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 965

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 LKR 66.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 LKR 113

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 295

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 LKR 376

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

$43.2K LKR 14.4M

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

$40.4K LKR 13.4M

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

$58.9 LKR 19.6K

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

$3.74 LKR 1,242

$4.18 LKR 1,391

-10.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.89 LKR 6,949

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.62 LKR 4,530

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 LKR 1,519

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 LKR 975

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

$37.76 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 LKR 399.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.04 LKR 5,999

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.50 LKR 5,490

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 LKR 25.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.08 LKR 14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$104 LKR 34.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

$61.1 LKR 20.3K

-45.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 LKR 80.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

$178 LKR 59.1K

-72.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 LKR 61.1K

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Wattala: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Wattala

$234 40.7%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Wattala

$104 18.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Wattala

$84 14.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Wattala

$69 12.1%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Wattala

$61 10.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Wattala

$19 3.4%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Wattala

$2.9 * 0.5%

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 $24 in Wattala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $38 vs $234 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Wattala

🕒 Local time

12:43 12:43 PM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

30,200

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Matale Wattala 97 km

From you

Matale
Wattala

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 Wattala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wattala costs about 381% 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 $861 in Wattala. 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 $574 in Wattala. That makes Matale about 79% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 510% more in Wattala, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $119 in Matale and $574 in Wattala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Wattala has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $574 in Wattala. 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.