Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $742 per month in Ndola vs $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,740 per month in Ndola vs $1,171 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,738 per month in Ndola vs $1,588 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Ndola is about 2% cheaper than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ndola and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 44% lower, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ZMW 129

$4.00 LKR 1,345

77.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.36 ZMW 462

$25.03 LKR 8,409

1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

$8.14 LKR 2,736

-54.79%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

$2.71 LKR 910

-27.68%

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

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

$0.74 LKR 250

-52.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

$0.38 LKR 127

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

$2.41 LKR 809

-63.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

$3.39 LKR 1,138

-48.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

$1.49 LKR 499

-12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

$0.53 LKR 177

49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

$0.86 LKR 289

91.86%

Eggs

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

$2.11 LKR 709

-37.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ZMW 142

$10.41 LKR 3,496

-24.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

$4.58 LKR 1,540

-13.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

$5.87 LKR 1,972

-20.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

$6.42 LKR 2,156

-80.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

$1.11 LKR 372

44.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

$5.80 LKR 1,950

-53.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

$1.19 LKR 401

-1.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

$0.95 LKR 319

91.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

$0.91 LKR 304

45.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

$1.19 LKR 400

-27.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

$0.53 LKR 178

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

$8.59 LKR 2,885

-70.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 ZMW 196

$12.53 LKR 4,211

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

$1.52 LKR 511

-28.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

$1.79 LKR 601

-11.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

$0.34 LKR 115

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,438

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

$0.32 LKR 106

478.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 ZMW 172

$0.47 LKR 156

1910.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

$1.21 LKR 406

1.65%

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

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

-70.54%

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

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-18.89%

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

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

$30.12 LKR 10.1K

203.15%

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

$36.46 ZMW 664

$4.42 LKR 1,486

724.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,241

$14.96 LKR 5,027

723.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.63 LKR 6,932

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

$3.33 LKR 1,119

27.63%

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

$178 ZMW 3,240

$37.30 LKR 12.5K

377.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

$436 LKR 146.5K

2084.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.59 ZMW 338

$27.06 LKR 9,092

-31.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.17 ZMW 312

$19.44 LKR 6,532

-11.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

$68.9 LKR 23.2K

22.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

90.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,295

$341 LKR 114.6K

-63.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,979

$254 LKR 85.3K

-57.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ZMW 5,020

$501 LKR 168.3K

-44.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

$424 LKR 142.5K

250.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 225.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 LKR 172.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ZMW 11.1K

$303 LKR 101.8K

100.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

66.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Ndola versus $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Ndola, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ndola versus $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $224 – making Ndola the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ndola vs Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in Ndola and $1,132 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ndola, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ndola and $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $742 in Ndola and $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ndola – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ndola. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.