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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $517 per month in Ratnapura vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $833 per month in Ratnapura vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,149 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,167 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Ratnapura costs about 4% 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

$2.23 LKR 748

$4.03 LKR 1,355

-44.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.02 LKR 3,367

$24.97 LKR 8,391

-59.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 LKR 2,285

$8.21 LKR 2,761

-17.17%

Cappuccino

$2.35 LKR 791

$2.73 LKR 919

-13.92%

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

$0.82 LKR 274

$0.72 LKR 244

13.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.40 LKR 135

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 LKR 749

$2.28 LKR 765

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 LKR 1,039

$3.38 LKR 1,134

-8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 LKR 686

$1.71 LKR 573

19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 271

$0.55 LKR 185

47.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 226

$0.80 LKR 270

-16.25%

Eggs

$1.19 LKR 401

$2.23 LKR 750

-46.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 LKR 5,599

$14.26 LKR 4,792

16.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,401

$4.72 LKR 1,587

51.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 LKR 5,774

$8.28 LKR 2,782

107.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 LKR 1,564

$7.61 LKR 2,556

-38.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 276

$1.08 LKR 363

-24.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,564

$5.69 LKR 1,912

-18.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 363

$1.20 LKR 402

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 LKR 392

$1.11 LKR 374

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 LKR 525

$1.40 LKR 472

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 LKR 189

$1.16 LKR 389

-51.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 162

$0.56 LKR 188

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 LKR 4,927

$9.92 LKR 3,333

47.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 LKR 4,181

$12.49 LKR 4,197

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 LKR 779

$2.09 LKR 703

11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 LKR 1,053

$2.87 LKR 963

9.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 LKR 141

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.39 LKR 130

-2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 178

$0.36 LKR 120

47.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.61 LKR 206

-47.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 LKR 357

$1.21 LKR 407

-12.40%

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

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

-20.12%

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

$21.4K LKR 7.2M

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

-38.92%

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

$27.06 LKR 9,094

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

$2.25 LKR 755

$3.41 LKR 1,147

-34.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.23 LKR 2,767

$15.08 LKR 5,068

-45.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.99 LKR 3,356

Cinema Ticket

$2.61 LKR 876

$3.41 LKR 1,146

-23.46%

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

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 150.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.53 LKR 3,874

$27.71 LKR 9,312

-58.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.41 LKR 2,825

$19.27 LKR 6,476

-56.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 LKR 32.1K

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

35.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.66 LKR 9,630

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

-26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.8 LKR 27.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.9 LKR 31.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.5K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Ratnapura vs $258 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: $517 in Ratnapura, $496 in Anuradhapura – roughly 4% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $776 per month in Ratnapura and $744 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 $517 in Ratnapura and $496 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 $517 in Ratnapura and $496 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.