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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $513 per month in Piliyandala vs $523 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $811 per month in Piliyandala vs $854 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,109 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,185 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Piliyandala is about 2% cheaper than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Piliyandala and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Piliyandala 62% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 LKR 1,086

$2.22 LKR 709

53.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.47 LKR 4,297

$10.12 LKR 3,228

33.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 LKR 2,728

$6.90 LKR 2,199

23.91%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 876

$2.32 LKR 739

18.53%

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

$0.73 LKR 234

$0.80 LKR 255

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 119

$0.51 LKR 164

-27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 LKR 657

$2.12 LKR 677

-2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,039

$3.04 LKR 970

7.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 541

$1.96 LKR 624

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 165

$0.81 LKR 257

-35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 262

$0.67 LKR 213

22.39%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 681

$1.18 LKR 376

81.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 LKR 4,496

$16.59 LKR 5,290

-15.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,526

$7.00 LKR 2,231

-31.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 LKR 2,638

$17.62 LKR 5,619

-53.06%

Apples (1kg)

$7.62 LKR 2,429

$4.60 LKR 1,467

65.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 353

$0.78 LKR 248

42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 LKR 1,799

$4.56 LKR 1,455

23.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 400

$1.06 LKR 338

17.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 357

$1.11 LKR 353

0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 440

$1.57 LKR 502

-12.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 368

$0.52 LKR 166

121.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 177

$0.48 LKR 152

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 LKR 3,217

$14.35 LKR 4,578

-29.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 LKR 4,052

$12.91 LKR 4,118

-1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 LKR 642

$2.25 LKR 718

-10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 933

$3.16 LKR 1,008

-7.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 105

$0.48 LKR 155

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 180

$0.32 LKR 101

75.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 385

$1.04 LKR 330

16.35%

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

$27.1K LKR 8.7M

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

26.39%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

61.43%

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

$60.0 LKR 19.1K

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

$4.32 LKR 1,377

$2.25 LKR 719

92.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.44 LKR 4,923

$7.87 LKR 2,511

96.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,165

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 LKR 1,095

$2.70 LKR 862

27.04%

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

$36.22 LKR 11.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 142.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 8,844

$11.55 LKR 3,682

140.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.58 LKR 6,244

$8.61 LKR 2,747

127.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 LKR 22.0K

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.69 LKR 12.3K

$28.14 LKR 8,973

37.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.2 LKR 27.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.4 LKR 19.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 LKR 29.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 LKR 55.3K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Piliyandala versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Piliyandala vs $282 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: $513 in Piliyandala, $523 in Ratnapura – roughly 2% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $769 per month in Piliyandala and $784 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 $513 in Piliyandala and $523 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 $513 in Piliyandala and $523 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.