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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Ratnapura vs $520 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $858 per month in Ratnapura vs $833 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,183 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,147 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Ratnapura costs about 3% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 LKR 734

$4.09 LKR 1,370

-46.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.13 LKR 3,393

$24.71 LKR 8,280

-59.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 LKR 2,283

$8.12 LKR 2,721

-16.13%

Cappuccino

$2.37 LKR 795

$2.76 LKR 923

-14.13%

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

$0.87 LKR 291

$0.68 LKR 228

27.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 163

$0.41 LKR 136

19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 712

$2.31 LKR 773

-8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 986

$3.43 LKR 1,148

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LKR 661

$1.68 LKR 564

17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 271

$0.53 LKR 176

52.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 241

$0.72 LKR 240

Eggs

$1.24 LKR 416

$2.11 LKR 706

-41.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.47 LKR 5,519

$8.26 LKR 2,766

99.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 LKR 2,335

$4.64 LKR 1,553

50.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 LKR 5,757

$8.22 LKR 2,753

109.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 LKR 1,561

$7.60 LKR 2,548

-38.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 259

$1.12 LKR 375

-31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,601

$5.82 LKR 1,949

-17.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 354

$1.21 LKR 404

-12.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 377

$1.10 LKR 369

1.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 LKR 501

$1.41 LKR 472

6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 LKR 174

$1.16 LKR 388

-55.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.48 LKR 161

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.29 LKR 4,787

$9.94 LKR 3,330

43.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 LKR 4,169

$10.28 LKR 3,443

21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 LKR 772

$1.96 LKR 657

17.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 LKR 1,076

$2.33 LKR 781

37.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 139

$0.38 LKR 128

7.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 177

$0.33 LKR 110

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.61 LKR 204

-42.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 LKR 360

$1.25 LKR 419

-13.60%

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

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-18.13%

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

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

$34.2K LKR 11.5M

-37.68%

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

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

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

$2.26 LKR 756

$4.25 LKR 1,423

-46.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.88 LKR 2,641

$15.11 LKR 5,062

-47.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,384

$10.22 LKR 3,426

-1.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.70 LKR 571

Cinema Ticket

$2.71 LKR 909

$3.37 LKR 1,128

-19.58%

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

$37.46 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 147.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.60 LKR 3,887

$27.58 LKR 9,241

-57.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.24 LKR 2,762

$19.31 LKR 6,471

-57.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 LKR 31.5K

$69.6 LKR 23.3K

35.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.63 LKR 9,592

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

-25.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 56.9K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Kolonnawa. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Ratnapura vs $232 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 3% 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 $801 per month in Ratnapura and $780 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $534 in Ratnapura and $520 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $534 in Ratnapura and $520 in Kolonnawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $520 versus $534 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.