Cost of Living Comparison Between Polonnaruwa and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Polonnaruwa and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $520 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $854 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $847 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,190 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,173 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Polonnaruwa and Ratnapura have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,301

$2.21 LKR 733

77.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.40 LKR 8,420

$9.89 LKR 3,280

156.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 LKR 2,758

$6.73 LKR 2,230

23.63%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 911

$2.39 LKR 791

15.06%

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

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.82 LKR 272

-9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.52 LKR 172

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 761

$2.20 LKR 729

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 LKR 1,131

$2.97 LKR 985

14.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 572

$1.97 LKR 652

-12.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$0.86 LKR 284

-36.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 282

$0.72 LKR 240

18.06%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 704

$1.17 LKR 390

81.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 LKR 4,734

$16.64 LKR 5,518

-14.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,536

$6.84 LKR 2,267

-32.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.18 LKR 2,712

$17.39 LKR 5,765

-52.96%

Apples (1kg)

$7.34 LKR 2,433

$4.71 LKR 1,562

55.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 352

$0.82 LKR 271

29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,936

$4.67 LKR 1,548

25.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 401

$1.09 LKR 362

11.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$1.16 LKR 385

-4.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 456

$1.50 LKR 498

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 384

$0.56 LKR 185

107.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 184

$0.52 LKR 172

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,281

$14.71 LKR 4,876

-32.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 LKR 4,181

$12.45 LKR 4,129

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 697

$2.22 LKR 738

-5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 960

$3.12 LKR 1,034

-7.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$0.39 LKR 129

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.53 LKR 176

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 203

$0.34 LKR 113

79.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 403

$1.07 LKR 353

13.08%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

$22.1K LKR 7.3M

23.04%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

66.41%

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

$60.1 LKR 19.9K

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

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$2.33 LKR 773

83.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,092

$8.13 LKR 2,697

88.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,085

$2.66 LKR 884

22.93%

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

$37.14 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.45 LKR 9,102

$11.76 LKR 3,901

133.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 LKR 6,396

$8.56 LKR 2,838

125.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 23.0K

$93.5 LKR 31.0K

-25.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 LKR 12.7K

$28.55 LKR 9,466

34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 LKR 28.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.4 LKR 19.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 LKR 30.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 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 Polonnaruwa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Polonnaruwa versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Polonnaruwa vs $282 in Ratnapura – so Polonnaruwa 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

Polonnaruwa vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $777 per month in Polonnaruwa and $780 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Ratnapura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Polonnaruwa and $10.00 in Ratnapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $518 in Polonnaruwa and $520 in Ratnapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Polonnaruwa – 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 Polonnaruwa. 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.