Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Hatton Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Hatton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Ratnapura vs $518 in Hatton, rent included.

A couple spends around $854 per month in Ratnapura vs $857 in Hatton, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,185 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,195 in Hatton, rent included.

Ratnapura costs about 1% more than Hatton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ratnapura and Hatton are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 61% lower, Hatton 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.22 LKR 709

$3.96 LKR 1,262

-43.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.12 LKR 3,228

$24.78 LKR 7,901

-59.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 LKR 2,199

$8.25 LKR 2,630

-16.36%

Cappuccino

$2.32 LKR 739

$2.66 LKR 850

-12.78%

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

$0.80 LKR 255

$0.74 LKR 235

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 LKR 164

$0.38 LKR 120

34.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 677

$2.28 LKR 727

-7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 970

$3.28 LKR 1,046

-7.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 LKR 624

$1.79 LKR 570

9.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 257

$0.53 LKR 169

52.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 213

$0.86 LKR 273

-22.09%

Eggs

$1.18 LKR 376

$2.11 LKR 673

-44.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.59 LKR 5,290

$13.85 LKR 4,418

19.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 LKR 2,231

$4.73 LKR 1,508

47.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 LKR 5,619

$8.19 LKR 2,612

115.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,467

$7.46 LKR 2,379

-38.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 248

$1.12 LKR 357

-30.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 LKR 1,455

$5.71 LKR 1,820

-20.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 338

$1.26 LKR 403

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 353

$1.10 LKR 351

0.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 LKR 502

$1.41 LKR 448

11.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 LKR 166

$1.15 LKR 365

-54.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 152

$0.56 LKR 180

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.35 LKR 4,578

$9.94 LKR 3,169

44.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.91 LKR 4,118

$12.67 LKR 4,040

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 LKR 718

$2.00 LKR 637

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 LKR 1,008

$2.83 LKR 901

11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

$0.41 LKR 131

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 LKR 155

$0.32 LKR 104

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 101

$0.61 LKR 193

-47.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 LKR 330

$1.21 LKR 387

-14.05%

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

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

-21.29%

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

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

$34.3K LKR 10.9M

-36.34%

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

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

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

$2.25 LKR 719

$4.25 LKR 1,355

-47.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.87 LKR 2,511

$14.86 LKR 4,740

-47.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,165

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 LKR 862

$3.25 LKR 1,038

-16.92%

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

$37.30 LKR 11.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$434 LKR 138.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.55 LKR 3,682

$27.01 LKR 8,614

-57.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.61 LKR 2,747

$19.08 LKR 6,085

-54.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

$69.3 LKR 22.1K

35.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.14 LKR 8,973

$38.15 LKR 12.2K

-26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.2 LKR 27.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.4 LKR 19.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 LKR 29.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 LKR 55.3K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hatton: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Hatton. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Ratnapura vs $256 in Hatton – so Hatton 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 Hatton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ratnapura is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $784 per month in Ratnapura and $777 in Hatton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Ratnapura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura and $25.00 in Hatton. 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 $523 in Ratnapura and $518 in Hatton, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Hatton – 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 Hatton. 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.