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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Ratnapura vs $536 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $854 per month in Ratnapura vs $866 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,185 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,196 in Kandana, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 2% cheaper than Kandana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.22 LKR 709

$3.94 LKR 1,257

-43.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.12 LKR 3,228

$24.82 LKR 7,915

-59.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 LKR 2,199

$8.24 LKR 2,627

-16.26%

Cappuccino

$2.32 LKR 739

$2.64 LKR 841

-12.12%

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

$2.33 LKR 743

-9.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 970

$3.25 LKR 1,038

-6.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 LKR 624

$1.78 LKR 567

10.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 257

$0.53 LKR 168

52.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 213

$0.80 LKR 255

-16.25%

Eggs

$1.18 LKR 376

$2.18 LKR 696

-45.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.59 LKR 5,290

$14.01 LKR 4,469

18.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 LKR 2,231

$4.60 LKR 1,465

52.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 LKR 5,619

$7.83 LKR 2,498

125.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,467

$7.55 LKR 2,407

-39.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 248

$1.11 LKR 355

-29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 LKR 1,455

$5.68 LKR 1,812

-19.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 338

$1.21 LKR 386

-12.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 353

$1.11 LKR 354

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 LKR 502

$1.37 LKR 437

14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 LKR 166

$1.20 LKR 384

-56.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 152

$0.60 LKR 191

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.35 LKR 4,578

$10.23 LKR 3,262

40.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.91 LKR 4,118

$12.68 LKR 4,045

1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 LKR 718

$2.03 LKR 646

10.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 LKR 1,008

$2.86 LKR 912

10.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

$0.39 LKR 123

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 LKR 155

$0.35 LKR 112

37.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 101

$0.58 LKR 185

-44.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 LKR 330

$1.22 LKR 388

-14.75%

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

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

-19.04%

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

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

-37.27%

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

$61.1 LKR 19.5K

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

$2.25 LKR 719

$4.42 LKR 1,411

-49.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.87 LKR 2,511

$15.36 LKR 4,897

-48.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,165

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 LKR 862

$3.31 LKR 1,054

-18.43%

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

$36.31 LKR 11.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 142.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.55 LKR 3,682

$27.14 LKR 8,655

-57.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.61 LKR 2,747

$19.00 LKR 6,060

-54.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

$70.4 LKR 22.4K

33.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.14 LKR 8,973

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

-27.81%

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 Kandana: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Kandana. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Ratnapura vs $256 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 3%, 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 $804 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 $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 $523 in Ratnapura and $536 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.