Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Anuradhapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Anuradhapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Ratnapura vs $489 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Ratnapura vs $823 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,157 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Ratnapura costs about 6% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ratnapura and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 61% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.21 LKR 733

$3.91 LKR 1,296

-43.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.89 LKR 3,280

$25.39 LKR 8,419

-61.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 LKR 2,230

$8.41 LKR 2,788

-19.98%

Cappuccino

$2.39 LKR 791

$2.63 LKR 871

-9.13%

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

$0.82 LKR 272

$0.69 LKR 229

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.38 LKR 125

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 LKR 729

$2.38 LKR 791

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$3.39 LKR 1,125

-12.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LKR 652

$1.72 LKR 572

14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 LKR 284

$0.56 LKR 186

53.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 240

$0.85 LKR 283

-15.29%

Eggs

$1.17 LKR 390

$2.22 LKR 736

-47.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 LKR 5,518

$13.83 LKR 4,587

20.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 LKR 2,267

$4.69 LKR 1,555

45.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 LKR 5,765

$8.02 LKR 2,659

116.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,562

$7.26 LKR 2,406

-35.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

$1.11 LKR 368

-26.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 LKR 1,548

$5.91 LKR 1,958

-20.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 LKR 362

$1.24 LKR 411

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 385

$1.10 LKR 364

5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 LKR 498

$1.42 LKR 471

5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 LKR 185

$1.15 LKR 382

-51.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.60 LKR 200

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 LKR 4,876

$10.18 LKR 3,377

44.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 LKR 4,129

$12.77 LKR 4,236

-2.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 LKR 738

$2.07 LKR 685

7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,034

$2.87 LKR 953

8.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$0.39 LKR 128

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.35 LKR 117

51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 113

$0.56 LKR 186

-39.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 LKR 353

$1.20 LKR 396

-10.83%

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

$22.1K LKR 7.3M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-18.45%

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

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

-39.60%

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

$26.43 LKR 8,764

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

$2.33 LKR 773

$3.25 LKR 1,079

-28.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 LKR 2,697

$14.92 LKR 4,948

-45.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 LKR 884

$3.29 LKR 1,090

-19.15%

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

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 145.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.76 LKR 3,901

$28.02 LKR 9,292

-58.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.56 LKR 2,838

$19.62 LKR 6,504

-56.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 LKR 31.0K

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

33.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.55 LKR 9,466

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

-26.79%

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 Ratnapura: May 31, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Ratnapura vs Anuradhapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $520 in Ratnapura, $489 in Anuradhapura – roughly 6% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Ratnapura and $734 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $520 in Ratnapura and $489 in Anuradhapura. 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 $520 in Ratnapura and $489 in Anuradhapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Anuradhapura – 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 Anuradhapura. 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.