Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Moratuwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $477 in Ratnapura, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ratnapura
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Ratnapura Living Index

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Ratnapura

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$477

/mo nomad

Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ratnapura and in Moratuwa

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 Moratuwa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $477 per month in Ratnapura vs $131 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Ratnapura $477
Moratuwa $131

A couple spends around $765 per month in Ratnapura vs $211 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Ratnapura $765
Moratuwa $211

A family of three spends $1,054 per month in Ratnapura vs $291 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Ratnapura $1,054
Moratuwa $291

Ratnapura costs about 263% more than Moratuwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ratnapura and Moratuwa are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 65% lower, Moratuwa 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 LKR 647

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.22 LKR 3,066

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 LKR 2,014

Cappuccino

$2.08 LKR 691

$1.84 LKR 611

13.04%

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

$0.73 LKR 244

$0.71 LKR 234

2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 LKR 146

$0.15 LKR 49.28

193.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 LKR 642

$1.85 LKR 616

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 921

$2.46 LKR 816

12.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 LKR 612

$1.25 LKR 417

47.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LKR 263

$0.46 LKR 154

71.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 LKR 219

$0.82 LKR 272

-19.51%

Eggs

$1.07 LKR 357

$2.36 LKR 785

-54.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.73 LKR 4,898

$12.27 LKR 4,078

20.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 LKR 2,125

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 LKR 5,186

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 LKR 1,417

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 248

$0.46 LKR 154

63.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 LKR 1,378

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 311

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 349

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 465

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 LKR 154

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 LKR 144

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 LKR 4,274

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 LKR 4,296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 693

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 LKR 959

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 124

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 LKR 146

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LKR 331

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

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

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

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

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

$2.07 LKR 687

$4.44 LKR 1,475

-53.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.41 LKR 2,462

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.13 LKR 3,034

$15.01 LKR 4,989

-39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.08 LKR 1,024

Cinema Ticket

$2.39 LKR 794

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.48 LKR 3,484

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.70 LKR 2,561

$6.05 LKR 2,013

27.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 LKR 28.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.89 LKR 8,608

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 LKR 25.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.6 LKR 18.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.6 LKR 28.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 LKR 55.3K

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ratnapura: October 25, 2026

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ratnapura

$258 54.2%

Moratuwa

–

Eating Out

Ratnapura

$79 16.5%

Moratuwa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ratnapura

$58 12.1%

Moratuwa

–

Accommodation & Living

Ratnapura

$55 11.5%

Moratuwa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ratnapura

$14 2.9%

Moratuwa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ratnapura

$9.5 * 2%

Moratuwa

–

Getting Around

Ratnapura

$4 * 0.8%

Moratuwa

–

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

Good to know

🇱🇰 Ratnapura

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🕒 Local time

08:21 8:21 AM

Same time as Ratnapura

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,100

207,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ratnapura Moratuwa 58 km

From you

Ratnapura
Moratuwa

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 Moratuwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ratnapura is pricier by about 263%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $715 per month in Ratnapura and $197 in Moratuwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $477 in Ratnapura and $131 in Moratuwa. That makes Moratuwa about 72% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 272% more in Ratnapura, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $477 in Ratnapura and $131 in Moratuwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Moratuwa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $131 in Moratuwa to $477 in Ratnapura. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.