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 $722 per month in Ndola vs $734 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Ndola vs $1,153 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,678 per month in Ndola vs $1,572 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 46% lower, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ZMW 127

$4.12 LKR 1,368

72.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 ZMW 437

$24.76 LKR 8,211

-1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$8.48 LKR 2,811

-56.84%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

$2.67 LKR 884

-27.34%

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

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

$0.75 LKR 247

-49.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

$0.38 LKR 125

-55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

$2.28 LKR 757

-58.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

$3.29 LKR 1,092

-44.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

$1.50 LKR 497

-17.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

$0.53 LKR 175

49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

$0.85 LKR 283

84.71%

Eggs

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

$2.13 LKR 705

-40.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ZMW 135

$10.28 LKR 3,410

-26.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

$4.55 LKR 1,507

-13.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

$5.85 LKR 1,940

-19.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

$6.17 LKR 2,046

-80.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

$1.11 LKR 367

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

$5.71 LKR 1,894

-51.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

$1.25 LKR 415

-6.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

$1.01 LKR 334

78.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

$0.93 LKR 309

41.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

$1.14 LKR 379

-19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

$0.50 LKR 166

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

$8.46 LKR 2,805

-70.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ZMW 194

$12.57 LKR 4,167

-13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

$1.47 LKR 486

-22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

$1.81 LKR 600

-13.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

$0.32 LKR 105

71.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,392

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

$0.34 LKR 114

438.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 ZMW 168

$0.44 LKR 145

2045.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

$1.27 LKR 419

-6.30%

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

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

-70.16%

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

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

-18.48%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

$30.64 LKR 10.2K

199.58%

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

$36.35 ZMW 649

$4.22 LKR 1,399

761.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,206

$14.91 LKR 4,943

728.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.06 LKR 6,984

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$3.42 LKR 1,135

18.71%

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

$173 ZMW 3,095

$36.74 LKR 12.2K

371.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

$433 LKR 143.6K

2143.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZMW 339

$28.02 LKR 9,290

-32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.14 ZMW 306

$19.05 LKR 6,317

-10.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$69.0 LKR 22.9K

22.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

$38.31 LKR 12.7K

91.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,253

$335 LKR 111.0K

-62.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,953

$254 LKR 84.1K

-56.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ZMW 4,753

$512 LKR 169.8K

-48.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

$418 LKR 138.5K

254.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$686 LKR 227.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$528 LKR 175.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ZMW 10.9K

$303 LKR 100.3K

101.66%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Ndola versus $335 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 102% 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 $24.00 in Ndola versus $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $221 – 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 $1,083 per month in Ndola and $1,100 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 $24.00 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 $722 in Ndola and $734 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.