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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Ratnapura vs $529 in Hatton, rent included.

A couple spends around $838 per month in Ratnapura vs $866 in Hatton, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,145 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,202 in Hatton, rent included.

Ratnapura and Hatton have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Ratnapura and Hatton are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 60% lower, Hatton 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.21 LKR 737

$3.96 LKR 1,320

-44.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.19 LKR 3,399

$25.26 LKR 8,425

-59.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 LKR 2,184

$8.43 LKR 2,812

-22.30%

Cappuccino

$2.40 LKR 800

$2.72 LKR 908

-11.76%

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

$0.80 LKR 267

$0.70 LKR 232

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.38 LKR 125

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 706

$2.30 LKR 767

-7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,008

$3.33 LKR 1,111

-9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 LKR 661

$1.79 LKR 597

10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 LKR 277

$0.52 LKR 175

59.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 239

$0.86 LKR 288

-16.28%

Eggs

$1.19 LKR 399

$2.19 LKR 732

-45.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.56 LKR 5,523

$13.96 LKR 4,655

18.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 LKR 2,404

$4.55 LKR 1,518

58.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 LKR 5,799

$7.91 LKR 2,638

119.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 LKR 1,532

$7.55 LKR 2,520

-39.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 259

$1.12 LKR 374

-30.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,583

$5.91 LKR 1,972

-19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 361

$1.26 LKR 421

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 LKR 389

$1.15 LKR 385

1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 LKR 528

$1.37 LKR 456

15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.19 LKR 397

-55.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

$0.59 LKR 197

-18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 LKR 4,936

$9.92 LKR 3,307

49.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 LKR 4,214

$12.46 LKR 4,158

1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 LKR 771

$2.01 LKR 670

14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 LKR 1,067

$2.83 LKR 945

13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.33 LKR 109

57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 114

$0.58 LKR 193

-41.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 LKR 356

$1.21 LKR 403

-11.57%

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

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

-19.70%

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

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-36.89%

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

$59.5 LKR 19.8K

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

$2.26 LKR 754

$4.31 LKR 1,436

-47.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.81 LKR 2,605

$15.17 LKR 5,059

-48.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,410

Cinema Ticket

$2.60 LKR 869

$3.44 LKR 1,149

-24.42%

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

$36.88 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$434 LKR 144.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.64 LKR 3,883

$27.77 LKR 9,262

-58.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.47 LKR 2,824

$19.53 LKR 6,515

-56.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

$69.7 LKR 23.3K

35.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.23 LKR 9,416

$38.32 LKR 12.8K

-26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.6 LKR 27.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 LKR 31.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.0K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hatton: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Hatton. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Ratnapura vs $257 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $797 per month in Ratnapura and $794 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 $531 in Ratnapura and $529 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.