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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $481 per month in Ratnapura vs $519 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $765 per month in Ratnapura vs $839 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,159 in Kandana, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 7% cheaper than Kandana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ratnapura and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 65% lower, Kandana 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.00 LKR 656

$4.30 LKR 1,411

-53.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.18 LKR 3,016

$26.00 LKR 8,543

-64.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 LKR 2,013

$7.58 LKR 2,491

-19.13%

Cappuccino

$2.08 LKR 683

$2.47 LKR 812

-15.79%

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

$0.79 LKR 259

$0.74 LKR 244

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 157

$0.27 LKR 88.8

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 LKR 655

$2.27 LKR 745

-12.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 LKR 908

$3.00 LKR 986

-8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 LKR 594

$1.64 LKR 537

10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LKR 260

$0.53 LKR 173

49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 LKR 218

$0.81 LKR 267

-18.52%

Eggs

$1.12 LKR 368

$1.67 LKR 548

-32.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 LKR 4,980

$13.28 LKR 4,364

14.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 LKR 2,139

$4.99 LKR 1,639

30.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 LKR 5,226

$7.34 LKR 2,411

116.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 LKR 1,420

$6.98 LKR 2,292

-38.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$0.82 LKR 269

-7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 LKR 1,432

$4.19 LKR 1,378

4.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 334

$1.28 LKR 422

-20.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 338

$1.04 LKR 342

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 451

$0.76 LKR 250

80.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 156

$0.89 LKR 292

-46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.49 LKR 162

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.10 LKR 4,303

$10.41 LKR 3,419

25.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 LKR 4,148

$13.69 LKR 4,499

-7.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 692

$1.98 LKR 651

6.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 933

$2.88 LKR 947

-1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 116

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.38 LKR 125

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 LKR 144

$0.39 LKR 127

12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 285

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 LKR 326

$1.34 LKR 440

-26.12%

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

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

-36.58%

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

$19.7K LKR 6.5M

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

-53.59%

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

$56.4 LKR 18.5K

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

$2.01 LKR 662

$4.13 LKR 1,356

-51.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.49 LKR 2,462

$21.08 LKR 6,927

-64.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.02 LKR 2,964

Cinema Ticket

$2.40 LKR 787

$4.46 LKR 1,467

-46.19%

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

$38.46 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,243 LKR 408.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.79 LKR 3,545

$20.11 LKR 6,606

-46.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.76 LKR 2,550

$16.82 LKR 5,527

-53.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 LKR 28.2K

$80.6 LKR 26.5K

6.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.03 LKR 8,553

$42.57 LKR 14.0K

-38.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 LKR 25.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.0 LKR 17.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.2 LKR 28.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 55.9K

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 5, 2026

Last update for Kandana: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura versus $26.00 in Kandana. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Ratnapura vs $238 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 8%, 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 $721 per month in Ratnapura and $778 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% 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 $9.00 in Ratnapura and $26.00 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 $481 in Ratnapura and $519 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.