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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $512 per month in Piliyandala vs $534 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $814 per month in Piliyandala vs $858 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,115 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,183 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Piliyandala is about 4% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Piliyandala and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Piliyandala 62% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 LKR 1,137

$2.19 LKR 735

54.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.41 LKR 4,501

$10.13 LKR 3,398

32.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 LKR 2,769

$6.81 LKR 2,287

21.15%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 921

$2.37 LKR 797

15.61%

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

$0.72 LKR 242

$0.87 LKR 291

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.49 LKR 164

-18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 LKR 689

$2.12 LKR 713

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,136

$2.94 LKR 988

15.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 574

$1.97 LKR 662

-13.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.81 LKR 271

-35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 277

$0.72 LKR 242

15.28%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 712

$1.24 LKR 417

70.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,693

$16.47 LKR 5,527

-15.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,556

$6.97 LKR 2,338

-33.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 LKR 2,678

$17.18 LKR 5,766

-53.55%

Apples (1kg)

$7.64 LKR 2,563

$4.66 LKR 1,563

63.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$0.77 LKR 260

38.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 LKR 1,885

$4.78 LKR 1,603

17.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.06 LKR 355

13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.12 LKR 377

-0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 455

$1.50 LKR 502

-9.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 399

$0.52 LKR 174

128.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 203

$0.52 LKR 175

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 LKR 3,319

$14.29 LKR 4,794

-30.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 LKR 4,211

$12.44 LKR 4,175

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 691

$2.30 LKR 773

-10.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 986

$3.21 LKR 1,077

-8.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 141

$0.41 LKR 139

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.53 LKR 177

-39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 192

$0.35 LKR 116

62.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.08 LKR 361

11.11%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

24.78%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

63.06%

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

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

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

$4.45 LKR 1,492

$2.26 LKR 757

96.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.23 LKR 5,112

$7.88 LKR 2,645

93.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,389

Cinema Ticket

$3.30 LKR 1,109

$2.71 LKR 910

21.77%

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

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.95 LKR 9,378

$11.60 LKR 3,893

140.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 LKR 6,487

$8.24 LKR 2,766

134.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 LKR 23.5K

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

-25.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.09 LKR 12.8K

$28.63 LKR 9,606

33.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 57.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Piliyandala: July 28, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Piliyandala versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Piliyandala vs $281 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: $512 in Piliyandala, $534 in Ratnapura – roughly 4% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $768 per month in Piliyandala and $801 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Piliyandala and $10.00 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 $512 in Piliyandala and $534 in Ratnapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $512 in Piliyandala and $534 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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