Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $477 per month in Ratnapura vs $480 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $760 per month in Ratnapura vs $770 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,042 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,061 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Ratnapura and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Ratnapura and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 65% lower, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 LKR 636

$1.51 LKR 508

25.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.97 LKR 3,006

$25.37 LKR 8,502

-64.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 LKR 1,971

$7.66 LKR 2,567

-23.24%

Cappuccino

$2.05 LKR 686

$2.37 LKR 794

-13.50%

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

$0.75 LKR 251

$0.69 LKR 231

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.27 LKR 91.3

74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 LKR 637

$2.22 LKR 743

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 LKR 878

$3.04 LKR 1,020

-13.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 LKR 618

$1.57 LKR 526

17.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 LKR 257

$0.47 LKR 156

63.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 LKR 218

$0.78 LKR 262

-16.67%

Eggs

$1.04 LKR 348

$1.54 LKR 515

-32.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.69 LKR 4,923

$12.77 LKR 4,280

15.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 LKR 2,103

$4.85 LKR 1,626

29.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 LKR 5,284

$6.96 LKR 2,333

126.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 LKR 1,390

$6.83 LKR 2,290

-39.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 245

$0.84 LKR 283

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 LKR 1,436

$4.54 LKR 1,520

-5.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 332

$1.27 LKR 427

-22.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 343

$0.94 LKR 315

8.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 LKR 467

$0.77 LKR 259

80.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 LKR 165

$0.88 LKR 295

-44.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 LKR 144

$0.47 LKR 159

-8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.10 LKR 4,391

$10.01 LKR 3,354

30.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,267

$13.39 LKR 4,487

-4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 670

$1.93 LKR 648

3.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 970

$2.64 LKR 885

9.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 127

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.41 LKR 136

-14.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 LKR 147

$0.37 LKR 124

18.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 313

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 LKR 300

$1.25 LKR 420

-28.80%

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

$19.7K LKR 6.6M

$29.8K LKR 10.0M

-33.88%

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

$19.0K LKR 6.4M

$39.4K LKR 13.2M

-51.70%

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

$52.1 LKR 17.5K

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

$2.06 LKR 691

$4.01 LKR 1,343

-48.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.26 LKR 2,433

$20.51 LKR 6,874

-64.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.68 LKR 2,910

Cinema Ticket

$2.43 LKR 814

$4.06 LKR 1,361

-40.15%

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

$37.91 LKR 12.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,169 LKR 391.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.36 LKR 3,471

$20.01 LKR 6,705

-48.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.24 LKR 2,425

$16.15 LKR 5,413

-55.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 LKR 27.5K

$78.0 LKR 26.2K

5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.19 LKR 8,444

$42.36 LKR 14.2K

-40.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 LKR 25.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.8 LKR 17.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 LKR 146.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.0 LKR 28.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 LKR 55.0K

$212 LKR 71.0K

-22.62%

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 3, 2026

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 29% higher in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Ratnapura vs $232 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia – so Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $716 per month in Ratnapura and $719 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura and $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $477 in Ratnapura and $480 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ratnapura costs $477 versus $480 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.