Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Ratnapura: $471 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $26,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Ratnapura
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Ratnapura Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Ratnapura

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$471

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ratnapura and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ratnapura and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $471 in Ratnapura versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Ratnapura $471
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $766 in Ratnapura versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Ratnapura $766
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,062 in Ratnapura versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Ratnapura $1,062
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Ratnapura costs roughly 83% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ratnapura is 65% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 LKR 659

$20.22 $20.22

-90.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.15 LKR 3,029

$85.0 $85.0

-89.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 LKR 1,950

$12.35 $12.35

-52.31%

Cappuccino

$2.17 LKR 719

$5.47 $5.47

-60.33%

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

$0.74 LKR 245

$3.82 $3.82

-80.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 155

$2.50 $2.50

-81.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 LKR 639

$8.06 $8.06

-76.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 LKR 908

$8.99 $8.99

-69.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LKR 586

$1.13 $1.13

56.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 LKR 247

$3.78 $3.78

-80.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 LKR 208

$3.25 $3.25

-80.62%

Eggs

$1.11 LKR 368

$4.14 $4.14

-73.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.11 LKR 5,002

$13.08 $13.08

15.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 LKR 2,086

$14.31 $14.31

-55.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 LKR 5,230

$15.96 $15.96

-1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 LKR 1,383

$4.38 $4.38

-4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 238

$1.45 $1.45

-50.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 LKR 1,397

$4.54 $4.54

-7.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 329

$4.19 $4.19

-76.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 348

$2.63 $2.63

-60.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 451

$2.36 $2.36

-42.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 LKR 154

$1.76 $1.76

-73.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 LKR 145

$2.16 $2.16

-79.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.91 LKR 4,272

$9.81 $9.81

31.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 LKR 4,261

$14.72 $14.72

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 692

$2.78 $2.78

-24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 931

$3.48 $3.48

-19.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 LKR 124

$1.49 $1.49

-75.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 125

$2.67 $2.67

-85.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 LKR 145

$1.58 $1.58

-72.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 LKR 322

$0.99 $0.99

-2.02%

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

$19.5K LKR 6.5M

$35.8K $35.8K

-45.56%

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

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

$27.2K $27.2K

-27.83%

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

$219 $219

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

$2.08 LKR 689

$58.0 $58.0

-96.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.36 LKR 2,435

$68.4 $68.4

-89.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.19 LKR 3,042

$57.9 $57.9

-84.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$2.46 LKR 815

$14.13 $14.13

-82.59%

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

$1,509 $1,509

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.68 LKR 3,536

$51.7 $51.7

-79.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,496

$44.05 $44.05

-82.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 LKR 28.3K

$85.1 $85.1

0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.29 LKR 8,368

$105 $105

-75.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 LKR 25.4K

$1,932 $1,932

-96.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.9 LKR 18.2K

$1,272 $1,272

-95.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.2 LKR 27.5K

$2,525 $2,525

-96.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 LKR 55.4K

$5,105 $5,105

-96.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Ratnapura: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Ratnapura

$258 54%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 56% $145

Eating Out

Ratnapura

$80 16.7%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 337% $268

Clothing & Footwear

Ratnapura

$58 12.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 122% $71

Accommodation & Living

Ratnapura

$55 11.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 2220% $1.2K

Sport & Entertainment

Ratnapura

$14 3%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 510% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ratnapura

$9.4 * 2%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 3561% $336

Getting Around

Ratnapura

$4.1 * 0.9%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 1304% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.6 in Ratnapura and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2952% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Ratnapura vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $403 per month, with Ratnapura cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Ratnapura

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

17:10 5:10 PM

06:40 6:40 AM

10 h 30 min behind Ratnapura

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,100

974,447

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 371 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ratnapura Austin, TX 15,900 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Ratnapura
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ratnapura wins on cost – living expenses run 474% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ratnapura the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2952% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $76.6 in Ratnapura versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $471 per month in Ratnapura versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 474% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $471 in Ratnapura versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ratnapura but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ratnapura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ratnapura and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ratnapura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 474% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.