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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $514 per month in Piliyandala vs $531 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $810 per month in Piliyandala vs $838 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,106 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,145 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Piliyandala is about 3% 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

$3.42 LKR 1,139

$2.21 LKR 737

54.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.52 LKR 4,511

$10.19 LKR 3,399

32.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,868

$6.55 LKR 2,184

31.30%

Cappuccino

$2.68 LKR 893

$2.40 LKR 800

11.67%

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

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.80 LKR 267

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.52 LKR 173

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 LKR 679

$2.12 LKR 706

-3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 LKR 1,099

$3.02 LKR 1,008

8.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 LKR 586

$1.98 LKR 661

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.83 LKR 277

-36.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 291

$0.72 LKR 239

20.83%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 744

$1.19 LKR 399

87.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 LKR 4,609

$16.56 LKR 5,523

-16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 LKR 1,538

$7.21 LKR 2,404

-36.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 LKR 2,740

$17.39 LKR 5,799

-52.79%

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 LKR 2,529

$4.59 LKR 1,532

65.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 371

$0.78 LKR 259

42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 LKR 1,957

$4.74 LKR 1,583

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 414

$1.08 LKR 361

14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 371

$1.17 LKR 389

-5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 LKR 452

$1.58 LKR 528

-14.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.53 LKR 176

115.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.48 LKR 159

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,324

$14.80 LKR 4,936

-32.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 LKR 4,292

$12.63 LKR 4,214

1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 666

$2.31 LKR 771

-13.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 LKR 974

$3.20 LKR 1,067

-8.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$0.52 LKR 175

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 205

$0.34 LKR 114

79.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 418

$1.07 LKR 356

16.82%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

22.07%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

59.50%

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

$60.6 LKR 20.2K

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

$4.42 LKR 1,475

$2.26 LKR 754

95.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 LKR 5,084

$7.81 LKR 2,605

95.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,410

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,150

$2.60 LKR 869

32.69%

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

$36.95 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$438 LKR 146.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.06 LKR 9,361

$11.64 LKR 3,883

141.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 LKR 6,560

$8.47 LKR 2,824

132.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 LKR 22.7K

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

-28.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.22 LKR 12.8K

$28.23 LKR 9,416

35.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.6 LKR 27.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 LKR 31.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.0K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Piliyandala versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Piliyandala vs $283 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: $514 in Piliyandala, $531 in Ratnapura – roughly 3% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $771 per month in Piliyandala and $797 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 $14.00 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 $514 in Piliyandala and $531 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 $514 in Piliyandala and $531 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.