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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $484 per month in Ratnapura vs $506 in Hatton, rent included.

A couple spends around $779 per month in Ratnapura vs $820 in Hatton, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,073 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,135 in Hatton, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 4% cheaper than Hatton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ratnapura and Hatton are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 65% lower, Hatton 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 LKR 640

$4.31 LKR 1,424

-54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.13 LKR 3,019

$26.41 LKR 8,731

-65.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 LKR 2,040

$7.63 LKR 2,523

-19.13%

Cappuccino

$2.12 LKR 700

$2.46 LKR 813

-13.82%

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

$0.74 LKR 244

$0.69 LKR 229

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.27 LKR 89.6

74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 LKR 668

$2.20 LKR 727

-8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 LKR 896

$3.10 LKR 1,024

-12.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 LKR 600

$1.63 LKR 537

11.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 LKR 256

$0.54 LKR 178

42.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 LKR 203

$0.75 LKR 249

-18.67%

Eggs

$1.08 LKR 357

$1.60 LKR 530

-32.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 LKR 4,963

$13.42 LKR 4,439

11.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 LKR 2,086

$5.03 LKR 1,662

25.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.81 LKR 5,229

$7.19 LKR 2,379

119.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 LKR 1,454

$6.67 LKR 2,205

-34.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$0.84 LKR 276

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 LKR 1,407

$4.18 LKR 1,381

1.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 332

$1.30 LKR 429

-23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 352

$1.05 LKR 348

0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 LKR 477

$0.74 LKR 246

94.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.94 LKR 310

-48.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.45 LKR 150

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.12 LKR 4,339

$10.32 LKR 3,411

27.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 LKR 4,219

$13.57 LKR 4,487

-5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 676

$1.99 LKR 660

2.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 968

$2.87 LKR 949

2.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 117

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.42 LKR 137

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.38 LKR 127

23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 LKR 321

$1.29 LKR 425

-24.81%

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

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

-33.72%

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

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

-52.63%

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

$56.0 LKR 18.5K

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

$2.13 LKR 704

$4.11 LKR 1,358

-48.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.40 LKR 2,448

$21.21 LKR 7,012

-65.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.04 LKR 2,988

Cinema Ticket

$2.39 LKR 791

$4.50 LKR 1,489

-46.89%

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

$37.59 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,227 LKR 405.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.50 LKR 3,472

$19.90 LKR 6,579

-47.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.79 LKR 2,577

$16.94 LKR 5,601

-54.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 LKR 28.0K

$78.3 LKR 25.9K

8.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.60 LKR 8,463

$43.07 LKR 14.2K

-40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 LKR 25.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.8 LKR 17.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 LKR 28.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 LKR 55.4K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Hatton: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura versus $26.00 in Hatton. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Ratnapura vs $236 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 – Hatton is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $726 per month in Ratnapura and $758 in Hatton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Hatton – 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 $26.00 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 $484 in Ratnapura and $506 in Hatton, 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, Hatton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.