Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Kurunegala

For one person, living costs are similar in Ratnapura and in Kurunegala: $477 and $479 a month, rent and utilities included.

23

Cost of Living Index in Ratnapura
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Ratnapura Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Kurunegala
Learn more

Kurunegala Living Index

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Ratnapura

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$477

/mo nomad

Kurunegala

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$479

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ratnapura and in Kurunegala

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ratnapura and in Kurunegala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $477 in Ratnapura versus $479 in Kurunegala.

Ratnapura $477
Kurunegala $479

Estimated couple costs with rent: $766 in Ratnapura versus $780 in Kurunegala.

Ratnapura $766
Kurunegala $780

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,056 in Ratnapura versus $1,081 in Kurunegala.

Ratnapura $1,056
Kurunegala $1,081

Monthly costs are close between Ratnapura and Kurunegala; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ratnapura 65% lower, Kurunegala 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 LKR 654

$1.78 LKR 589

11.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.04 LKR 2,994

$24.99 LKR 8,277

-63.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 LKR 1,974

$4.41 LKR 1,461

35.15%

Cappuccino

$2.12 LKR 704

$2.58 LKR 853

-17.83%

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

$0.75 LKR 247

$0.43 LKR 143

74.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.27 LKR 90.0

74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 LKR 644

$2.24 LKR 741

-13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 LKR 883

$3.04 LKR 1,006

-12.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 LKR 614

$1.47 LKR 488

25.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 LKR 259

$0.47 LKR 154

65.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 LKR 204

$0.77 LKR 254

-20.78%

Eggs

$1.06 LKR 353

$1.72 LKR 570

-38.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.90 LKR 4,934

$14.01 LKR 4,641

6.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 LKR 2,071

$4.93 LKR 1,634

26.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 LKR 5,266

$7.40 LKR 2,452

114.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$6.51 LKR 2,157

-34.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 245

$0.87 LKR 287

-14.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,441

$4.51 LKR 1,493

-3.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 LKR 314

$1.32 LKR 437

-28.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 332

$1.03 LKR 342

-2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 457

$0.77 LKR 255

79.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 LKR 151

$0.94 LKR 311

-51.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 LKR 142

$0.42 LKR 139

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.09 LKR 4,337

$10.40 LKR 3,446

25.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 LKR 4,261

$12.73 LKR 4,217

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 668

$1.94 LKR 644

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 LKR 925

$2.93 LKR 972

-4.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 114

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.40 LKR 134

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 LKR 143

$0.31 LKR 104

38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 LKR 307

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 LKR 302

$1.04 LKR 346

-12.50%

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

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

$44.0K LKR 14.6M

-54.99%

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

$19.5K LKR 6.5M

$40.3K LKR 13.4M

-51.57%

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

$59.2 LKR 19.6K

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

$2.07 LKR 686

$4.32 LKR 1,432

-52.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.38 LKR 2,445

$20.93 LKR 6,932

-64.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.94 LKR 2,963

Cinema Ticket

$2.40 LKR 793

$4.42 LKR 1,465

-45.70%

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

$37.41 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,204 LKR 398.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.42 LKR 3,452

$18.13 LKR 6,005

-42.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,497

$16.35 LKR 5,416

-53.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 LKR 27.5K

$80.5 LKR 26.7K

3.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.42 LKR 8,419

$40.91 LKR 13.6K

-37.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.7 LKR 25.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.3 LKR 18.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.1 LKR 28.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 LKR 57.0K

$150 LKR 49.5K

15.14%

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Ratnapura

$259 54.2%

Kurunegala

$235 49.1% 9.1% $24

Eating Out

Ratnapura

$79 16.6%

Kurunegala

$78 16.4% 0.8% $0.6

Clothing & Footwear

Ratnapura

$57 11.9%

Kurunegala

$70 14.6% 23.3% $13

Accommodation & Living

Ratnapura

$55 11.6%

Kurunegala

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Ratnapura

$14 2.9%

Kurunegala

$8.9 * 1.9% 35.6% $4.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ratnapura

$9.5 * 2%

Kurunegala

$84 17.6% 794% $75

Getting Around

Ratnapura

$3.9 * 0.8%

Kurunegala

$2 * 0.4% 49.1% $1.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Ratnapura pays 15% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $9.00 in Ratnapura vs $25.00 in Kurunegala. Groceries flip the comparison at $259 vs $235, with Kurunegala cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Ratnapura

🇱🇰 Kurunegala

🕒 Local time

04:08 4:08 AM

Same time as Ratnapura

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,100

30,300

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Ratnapura Kurunegala 90 km

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Ratnapura
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 15% higher in Ratnapura, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratnapura – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $25.00 in Kurunegala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Shoppers in Kurunegala pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ratnapura gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ratnapura and Kurunegala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Ratnapura wins on affordability, Kurunegala on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.