Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Kolonnawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Kolonnawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Ratnapura vs $506 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in Ratnapura vs $836 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,166 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,166 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Ratnapura costs about 4% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ratnapura and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 61% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.22 LKR 704

$4.04 LKR 1,278

-45.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.13 LKR 3,208

$24.90 LKR 7,882

-59.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 LKR 2,132

$8.53 LKR 2,699

-21.10%

Cappuccino

$2.36 LKR 746

$2.66 LKR 841

-11.28%

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

$0.86 LKR 271

$0.68 LKR 216

26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 166

$0.40 LKR 128

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LKR 685

$2.30 LKR 728

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 LKR 972

$3.33 LKR 1,054

-7.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 LKR 652

$1.70 LKR 539

21.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 256

$0.53 LKR 166

52.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 211

$0.70 LKR 222

-4.29%

Eggs

$1.24 LKR 393

$2.14 LKR 676

-42.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.48 LKR 5,217

$8.53 LKR 2,700

93.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 LKR 2,204

$4.80 LKR 1,519

45.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.55 LKR 5,554

$8.25 LKR 2,611

112.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 LKR 1,521

$7.38 LKR 2,335

-34.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 264

$1.11 LKR 350

-25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,502

$5.73 LKR 1,813

-17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 331

$1.26 LKR 400

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 LKR 370

$1.15 LKR 364

1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 LKR 493

$1.38 LKR 437

13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 LKR 178

$1.19 LKR 378

-52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 152

$0.52 LKR 164

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.48 LKR 4,584

$10.24 LKR 3,241

41.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 LKR 4,241

$10.98 LKR 3,475

22.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 LKR 732

$2.04 LKR 645

13.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 LKR 977

$2.35 LKR 744

31.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 LKR 123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 130

$0.39 LKR 123

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 LKR 153

$0.33 LKR 104

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 100

$0.58 LKR 182

-44.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 LKR 326

$1.20 LKR 380

-14.17%

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

$22.0K LKR 7.0M

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

-16.74%

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

$21.4K LKR 6.8M

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-39.26%

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

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

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

$2.20 LKR 697

$4.38 LKR 1,386

-49.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.85 LKR 2,484

$14.88 LKR 4,710

-47.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.07 LKR 3,188

$10.09 LKR 3,193

-0.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.65 LKR 522

Cinema Ticket

$2.60 LKR 824

$3.37 LKR 1,067

-22.85%

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

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 137.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.70 LKR 3,703

$27.11 LKR 8,580

-56.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.17 LKR 2,585

$19.14 LKR 6,057

-57.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 LKR 29.6K

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

35.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.36 LKR 8,975

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

-26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$84.4 LKR 26.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.4 LKR 19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LKR 29.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 LKR 55.9K

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 22, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $84 in Ratnapura versus $0 in Kolonnawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10 in Ratnapura versus $25 in Kolonnawa. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Ratnapura vs $235 in Kolonnawa – so Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ratnapura costs about 4% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $787 per month in Ratnapura and $759 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $524 in Ratnapura and $506 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Ratnapura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $524 in Ratnapura and $506 in Kolonnawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $506 versus $524 in Ratnapura. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kolonnawa. 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.