Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Kandana Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Kandana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Ratnapura vs $533 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $837 per month in Ratnapura vs $853 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,146 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,173 in Kandana, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 1% cheaper than Kandana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 LKR 705

$4.07 LKR 1,357

-48.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.98 LKR 3,329

$25.03 LKR 8,347

-60.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 LKR 2,281

$8.32 LKR 2,775

-17.79%

Cappuccino

$2.32 LKR 775

$2.77 LKR 923

-16.25%

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

$0.86 LKR 288

$0.68 LKR 226

26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.40 LKR 135

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 749

$2.35 LKR 785

-4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 981

$3.43 LKR 1,145

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 LKR 688

$1.76 LKR 587

17.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 LKR 268

$0.52 LKR 172

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.85 LKR 284

-18.82%

Eggs

$1.23 LKR 410

$2.19 LKR 729

-43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 LKR 5,550

$13.81 LKR 4,608

20.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 LKR 2,350

$4.75 LKR 1,584

48.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 LKR 5,881

$7.93 LKR 2,646

122.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,552

$7.26 LKR 2,422

-35.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 255

$1.10 LKR 367

-30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 LKR 1,558

$5.63 LKR 1,878

-17.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 348

$1.21 LKR 403

-14.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 LKR 376

$1.11 LKR 369

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 LKR 524

$1.41 LKR 471

11.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.20 LKR 402

-55.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.59 LKR 197

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 LKR 4,868

$10.03 LKR 3,347

45.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 LKR 4,254

$12.77 LKR 4,261

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 LKR 781

$2.00 LKR 668

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 LKR 1,053

$2.84 LKR 946

11.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 127

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$0.41 LKR 137

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 LKR 162

$0.32 LKR 108

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 107

$0.61 LKR 205

-47.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 LKR 346

$1.26 LKR 419

-17.46%

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

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

-19.10%

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

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

$34.5K LKR 11.5M

-36.60%

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

$60.0 LKR 20.0K

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

$2.33 LKR 777

$4.22 LKR 1,406

-44.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.24 LKR 2,748

$15.33 LKR 5,115

-46.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.19 LKR 3,399

Cinema Ticket

$2.72 LKR 909

$3.25 LKR 1,085

-16.31%

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

$37.27 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 149.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.57 LKR 3,858

$27.99 LKR 9,336

-58.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.57 LKR 2,857

$19.71 LKR 6,573

-56.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 LKR 30.9K

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

31.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.02 LKR 9,680

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

-26.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 LKR 27.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.1 LKR 31.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 LKR 56.0K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Kandana: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Kandana. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Ratnapura vs $255 in Kandana – so Kandana 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 Kandana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kandana 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 $792 per month in Ratnapura and $800 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Kandana – 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 $10.00 in Ratnapura and $25.00 in Kandana. 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 $528 in Ratnapura and $533 in Kandana, 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, Kandana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.