Cost of Living Comparison Between Piliyandala and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Piliyandala and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $575 per month in Piliyandala vs $484 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Piliyandala vs $779 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,236 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,073 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Piliyandala costs about 19% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Piliyandala and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Piliyandala 58% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 LKR 989

$1.94 LKR 640

54.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.31 LKR 4,070

$9.13 LKR 3,019

34.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 LKR 2,542

$6.17 LKR 2,040

24.64%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LKR 845

$2.12 LKR 700

20.75%

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

$0.68 LKR 225

$0.74 LKR 244

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.2

$0.47 LKR 157

-46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 LKR 607

$2.02 LKR 668

-8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 999

$2.71 LKR 896

11.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 540

$1.81 LKR 600

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.77 LKR 256

-31.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.61 LKR 203

21.31%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 546

$1.08 LKR 357

52.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 LKR 4,287

$15.01 LKR 4,963

-13.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 LKR 1,644

$6.31 LKR 2,086

-21.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,457

$15.81 LKR 5,229

-53.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.87 LKR 2,271

$4.40 LKR 1,454

56.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 292

$0.76 LKR 251

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 LKR 1,406

$4.26 LKR 1,407

-0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 428

$1.00 LKR 332

30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 325

$1.06 LKR 352

-7.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$1.44 LKR 477

-47.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 314

$0.48 LKR 158

97.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 160

$0.48 LKR 158

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.50 LKR 3,471

$13.12 LKR 4,339

-19.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 LKR 4,578

$12.76 LKR 4,219

8.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 661

$2.04 LKR 676

-1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 921

$2.93 LKR 968

-5.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.35 LKR 117

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 95.3

$0.47 LKR 156

-38.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 294

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 443

$0.97 LKR 321

38.14%

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

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

89.41%

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

$41.0K LKR 13.6M

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

106.67%

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

$54.1 LKR 17.9K

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

$4.22 LKR 1,397

$2.13 LKR 704

98.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.81 LKR 6,881

$7.40 LKR 2,448

181.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.04 LKR 2,988

Cinema Ticket

$4.32 LKR 1,429

$2.39 LKR 791

80.75%

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

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,234 LKR 408.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.90 LKR 6,581

$10.50 LKR 3,472

89.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.80 LKR 5,556

$7.79 LKR 2,577

115.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 LKR 26.8K

$84.8 LKR 28.0K

-4.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.20 LKR 14.3K

$25.60 LKR 8,463

68.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$106 LKR 34.9K

$75.8 LKR 25.1K

39.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.8 LKR 25.4K

$53.8 LKR 17.8K

42.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 LKR 86.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 59.2K

$87.0 LKR 28.8K

105.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 LKR 99.1K

$168 LKR 55.4K

78.88%

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 Piliyandala: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $106 in Piliyandala versus $75.8 in Ratnapura. 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 79% higher in Piliyandala, 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 $12.00 in Piliyandala versus $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Piliyandala vs $261 in Ratnapura – so Piliyandala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Piliyandala vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $575 in Piliyandala, $484 in Ratnapura – roughly 19% apart. Piliyandala costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $862 per month in Piliyandala and $726 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, 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 $12.00 in Piliyandala and $9.00 in Ratnapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $575 in Piliyandala and $484 in Ratnapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $575 in Piliyandala and $484 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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