Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Bandarawela Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Bandarawela

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $481 per month in Ratnapura vs $499 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A couple spends around $765 per month in Ratnapura vs $803 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,106 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 4% cheaper than Bandarawela, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.00 LKR 656

$1.34 LKR 439

49.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.18 LKR 3,016

$26.43 LKR 8,685

-65.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 LKR 2,013

$7.76 LKR 2,549

-21.01%

Cappuccino

$2.08 LKR 683

$1.48 LKR 488

40.54%

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

$0.79 LKR 259

$0.64 LKR 210

23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 157

$0.27 LKR 88.8

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 LKR 655

$2.19 LKR 721

-9.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 LKR 908

$2.50 LKR 822

10.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 LKR 594

$1.65 LKR 541

9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LKR 260

$0.36 LKR 117

119.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 LKR 218

$0.61 LKR 201

8.20%

Eggs

$1.12 LKR 368

$1.08 LKR 355

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 LKR 4,980

$13.06 LKR 4,292

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 LKR 2,139

$3.60 LKR 1,182

80.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 LKR 5,226

$7.30 LKR 2,399

117.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 LKR 1,420

$6.74 LKR 2,215

-35.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$0.59 LKR 194

28.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 LKR 1,432

$4.38 LKR 1,440

-0.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 334

$1.23 LKR 405

-17.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 338

$0.89 LKR 293

15.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 451

$0.57 LKR 187

140.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 156

$0.88 LKR 290

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.48 LKR 159

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.10 LKR 4,303

$9.65 LKR 3,172

35.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 LKR 4,148

$13.56 LKR 4,455

-6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 692

$1.95 LKR 642

8.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 933

$2.89 LKR 950

-1.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.14 LKR 46.58

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$1.50 LKR 492

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.39 LKR 127

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 LKR 144

$0.29 LKR 94.8

51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 LKR 156

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 LKR 326

$0.91 LKR 301

8.79%

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

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

-35.44%

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

$19.7K LKR 6.5M

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-52.99%

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

$54.6 LKR 17.9K

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

$2.01 LKR 662

$3.39 LKR 1,114

-40.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.49 LKR 2,462

$6.03 LKR 1,982

24.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.02 LKR 2,964

$6.20 LKR 2,036

45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.58 LKR 1,506

Cinema Ticket

$2.40 LKR 787

$2.50 LKR 822

-4.00%

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

$37.96 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,236 LKR 406.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.79 LKR 3,545

$19.90 LKR 6,538

-45.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.76 LKR 2,550

$16.75 LKR 5,505

-53.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 LKR 28.2K

$80.5 LKR 26.5K

6.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.03 LKR 8,553

$43.25 LKR 14.2K

-39.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 LKR 25.2K

$89.7 LKR 29.5K

-14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.0 LKR 17.7K

$45.92 LKR 15.1K

17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 LKR 40.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.2 LKR 28.3K

$59.8 LKR 19.6K

44.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 55.9K

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Bandarawela: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $76.6 in Ratnapura versus $89.7 in Bandarawela. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura versus $26.00 in Bandarawela. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Ratnapura vs $223 in Bandarawela – so Bandarawela 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 Bandarawela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $481 in Ratnapura, $499 in Bandarawela – roughly 4% apart. Bandarawela costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $721 per month in Ratnapura and $748 in Bandarawela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura and $26.00 in Bandarawela. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $481 in Ratnapura and $499 in Bandarawela. 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 $481 in Ratnapura and $499 in Bandarawela, 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, Bandarawela makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.