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 $751 per month in Ndola vs $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Ndola vs $1,086 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,784 per month in Ndola vs $1,454 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Ndola costs about 5% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ndola and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 45% lower, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 ZMW 110

$4.35 LKR 1,427

32.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ZMW 608

$24.79 LKR 8,133

28.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

$7.54 LKR 2,473

-31.96%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

$2.51 LKR 823

15.14%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

$0.68 LKR 224

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

$0.25 LKR 81.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

$2.19 LKR 720

-41.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

$3.10 LKR 1,018

-24.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

$1.31 LKR 430

32.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

$0.57 LKR 186

108.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

$0.69 LKR 227

210.14%

Eggs

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

$1.60 LKR 524

3.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ZMW 205

$13.31 LKR 4,368

-19.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 124

$4.38 LKR 1,438

47.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ZMW 130

$5.31 LKR 1,742

28.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

$6.25 LKR 2,050

-74.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

$0.88 LKR 288

185.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

$4.31 LKR 1,415

-12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

$1.19 LKR 390

38.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

$0.93 LKR 306

180.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

$0.75 LKR 246

160.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

$0.89 LKR 293

30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

$0.49 LKR 160

34.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

$9.19 LKR 3,017

-66.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 ZMW 200

$12.48 LKR 4,093

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

$1.92 LKR 630

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

$2.81 LKR 923

-13.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

$0.31 LKR 102

738.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

$0.37 LKR 122

321.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

$0.88 LKR 290

493.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

$1.16 LKR 379

26.72%

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

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

-74.55%

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

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-35.28%

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

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

$45.15 LKR 14.8K

87.35%

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

$10.89 ZMW 209

$4.29 LKR 1,408

153.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

$12.22 LKR 4,009

373.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.98 LKR 4,915

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ZMW 118

$3.10 LKR 1,017

99.03%

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

$143 ZMW 2,732

$38.65 LKR 12.7K

269.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

$896 LKR 293.9K

1767.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 ZMW 461

$19.93 LKR 6,540

20.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 ZMW 315

$16.57 LKR 5,438

-0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 ZMW 909

$78.7 LKR 25.8K

-39.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

$41.75 LKR 13.7K

81.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,474

$307 LKR 100.8K

-40.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ZMW 3,009

$228 LKR 74.8K

-31.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,439

$448 LKR 146.9K

-13.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

$385 LKR 126.5K

293.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 220.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$542 LKR 177.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ZMW 11.3K

$309 LKR 101.4K

91.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

128.53%

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

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Ndola versus $307 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 91% higher in Ndola, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ndola versus $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $219 – making Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 – Ndola is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,127 per month in Ndola and $1,077 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 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 $32.00 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 6% more in Ndola, 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 $751 in Ndola and $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ndola makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.