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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $481 per month in Ratnapura vs $483 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $765 per month in Ratnapura vs $805 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,128 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Ratnapura and Kolonnawa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.00 LKR 656

$4.46 LKR 1,464

-55.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.18 LKR 3,016

$25.94 LKR 8,523

-64.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 LKR 2,013

$7.51 LKR 2,468

-18.38%

Cappuccino

$2.08 LKR 683

$2.56 LKR 841

-18.75%

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

$0.79 LKR 259

$0.73 LKR 241

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 157

$0.25 LKR 81.9

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 LKR 655

$2.20 LKR 723

-9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 LKR 908

$3.14 LKR 1,032

-12.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 LKR 594

$1.65 LKR 541

9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LKR 260

$0.56 LKR 184

41.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 LKR 218

$0.59 LKR 193

11.86%

Eggs

$1.12 LKR 368

$1.67 LKR 550

-32.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 LKR 4,980

$10.52 LKR 3,456

44.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 LKR 2,139

$4.50 LKR 1,478

44.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 LKR 5,226

$7.12 LKR 2,340

123.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 LKR 1,420

$7.00 LKR 2,299

-38.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$0.89 LKR 291

-14.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 LKR 1,432

$4.37 LKR 1,436

-0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 334

$1.24 LKR 407

-17.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 338

$1.02 LKR 334

0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 451

$0.76 LKR 251

80.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 156

$0.88 LKR 290

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.44 LKR 145

2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.10 LKR 4,303

$10.55 LKR 3,467

24.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 LKR 4,148

$10.57 LKR 3,472

19.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 692

$1.78 LKR 586

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 933

$2.25 LKR 738

26.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.15 LKR 50.2

133.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.42 LKR 137

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 LKR 144

$0.36 LKR 118

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 287

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 LKR 326

$1.35 LKR 443

-26.67%

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

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-34.53%

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

$19.7K LKR 6.5M

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

-52.91%

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

$55.0 LKR 18.1K

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

$2.01 LKR 662

$4.24 LKR 1,394

-52.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.49 LKR 2,462

$21.30 LKR 7,000

-64.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.02 LKR 2,964

Cinema Ticket

$2.40 LKR 787

$4.49 LKR 1,475

-46.55%

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

$37.65 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.79 LKR 3,545

$19.88 LKR 6,533

-45.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.76 LKR 2,550

$16.84 LKR 5,533

-53.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 LKR 28.2K

$80.0 LKR 26.3K

7.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.03 LKR 8,553

$42.07 LKR 13.8K

-38.13%

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 Kolonnawa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura versus $26.00 in Kolonnawa. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Ratnapura vs $218 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $721 per month in Ratnapura and $724 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Kolonnawa – 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 Kolonnawa. 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 $483 in Kolonnawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ratnapura costs $481 versus $483 in Kolonnawa. 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 Ratnapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kolonnawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.