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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $475 per month in Ratnapura vs $498 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $767 per month in Ratnapura vs $830 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,059 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,162 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 5% cheaper than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ratnapura and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 65% lower, Anuradhapura 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 LKR 662

$4.45 LKR 1,460

-54.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.93 LKR 2,930

$24.30 LKR 7,973

-63.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 LKR 1,965

$7.71 LKR 2,530

-22.31%

Cappuccino

$2.08 LKR 683

$2.41 LKR 790

-13.69%

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

$0.75 LKR 246

$0.75 LKR 244

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 LKR 144

$0.25 LKR 81.1

76.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 LKR 632

$2.28 LKR 748

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 LKR 877

$2.97 LKR 975

-10.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 LKR 614

$1.68 LKR 551

11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 LKR 245

$0.57 LKR 188

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 LKR 214

$0.80 LKR 263

-18.75%

Eggs

$1.08 LKR 353

$1.63 LKR 535

-33.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.76 LKR 4,842

$13.09 LKR 4,295

12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 LKR 2,082

$4.98 LKR 1,634

27.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 LKR 5,239

$7.29 LKR 2,391

119.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 LKR 1,389

$6.93 LKR 2,272

-38.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 244

$0.88 LKR 287

-15.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 LKR 1,368

$4.26 LKR 1,396

-2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 LKR 312

$1.25 LKR 410

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 334

$1.01 LKR 331

0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 465

$0.80 LKR 263

77.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 LKR 166

$0.90 LKR 294

-43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 156

$0.45 LKR 147

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.94 LKR 4,244

$10.54 LKR 3,458

22.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 LKR 4,213

$13.82 LKR 4,534

-7.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 LKR 695

$1.92 LKR 629

10.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 LKR 955

$2.77 LKR 909

5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 LKR 123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 122

$0.42 LKR 137

-11.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 LKR 157

$0.35 LKR 114

37.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 293

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 LKR 300

$1.34 LKR 439

-32.09%

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

$19.6K LKR 6.4M

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-35.66%

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

$20.0K LKR 6.6M

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-53.03%

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

$53.2 LKR 17.4K

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

$2.08 LKR 681

$4.28 LKR 1,405

-51.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.50 LKR 2,460

$20.72 LKR 6,796

-63.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.26 LKR 3,037

Cinema Ticket

$2.44 LKR 802

$4.49 LKR 1,473

-45.66%

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

$38.75 LKR 12.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,201 LKR 394.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.55 LKR 3,461

$20.20 LKR 6,627

-47.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.50 LKR 2,460

$16.92 LKR 5,553

-55.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 LKR 27.7K

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.38 LKR 8,326

$43.16 LKR 14.2K

-41.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.7 LKR 25.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.7 LKR 17.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.6 LKR 27.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 55.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ratnapura: August 31, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura versus $24.00 in Anuradhapura. Groceries tell a different story – $260 in Ratnapura vs $238 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: $475 in Ratnapura, $498 in Anuradhapura – roughly 5% apart. Anuradhapura costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $713 per month in Ratnapura and $747 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 $9.00 in Ratnapura and $24.00 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 $475 in Ratnapura and $498 in Anuradhapura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $475 in Ratnapura and $498 in Anuradhapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Anuradhapura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.