Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Piliyandala Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Piliyandala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Ratnapura vs $513 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $854 per month in Ratnapura vs $811 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,185 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,109 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Ratnapura costs about 2% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.22 LKR 709

$3.41 LKR 1,086

-34.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.12 LKR 3,228

$13.47 LKR 4,297

-24.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 LKR 2,199

$8.55 LKR 2,728

-19.30%

Cappuccino

$2.32 LKR 739

$2.75 LKR 876

-15.64%

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

$0.80 LKR 255

$0.73 LKR 234

9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 LKR 164

$0.37 LKR 119

37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 677

$2.06 LKR 657

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 970

$3.26 LKR 1,039

-6.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 LKR 624

$1.70 LKR 541

15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 257

$0.52 LKR 165

55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 213

$0.82 LKR 262

-18.29%

Eggs

$1.18 LKR 376

$2.14 LKR 681

-44.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.59 LKR 5,290

$14.10 LKR 4,496

17.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 LKR 2,231

$4.78 LKR 1,526

46.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 LKR 5,619

$8.27 LKR 2,638

113.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,467

$7.62 LKR 2,429

-39.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 248

$1.11 LKR 353

-29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 LKR 1,455

$5.64 LKR 1,799

-19.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 338

$1.25 LKR 400

-15.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 353

$1.12 LKR 357

-0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 LKR 502

$1.38 LKR 440

13.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 LKR 166

$1.15 LKR 368

-54.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 152

$0.55 LKR 177

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.35 LKR 4,578

$10.09 LKR 3,217

42.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.91 LKR 4,118

$12.71 LKR 4,052

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 LKR 718

$2.01 LKR 642

11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 LKR 1,008

$2.93 LKR 933

7.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 LKR 155

$0.33 LKR 105

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 101

$0.56 LKR 180

-42.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 LKR 330

$1.21 LKR 385

-14.05%

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

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

$27.1K LKR 8.7M

-20.88%

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

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-38.05%

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

$60.0 LKR 19.1K

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

$2.25 LKR 719

$4.32 LKR 1,377

-47.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.87 LKR 2,511

$15.44 LKR 4,923

-49.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,165

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 LKR 862

$3.43 LKR 1,095

-21.28%

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

$36.22 LKR 11.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 142.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.55 LKR 3,682

$27.73 LKR 8,844

-58.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.61 LKR 2,747

$19.58 LKR 6,244

-56.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

$68.9 LKR 22.0K

36.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.14 LKR 8,973

$38.69 LKR 12.3K

-27.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.2 LKR 27.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.4 LKR 19.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 LKR 29.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 LKR 55.3K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Piliyandala: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $13.00 in Piliyandala. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Ratnapura vs $257 in Piliyandala – so Piliyandala 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 Piliyandala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $523 in Ratnapura, $513 in Piliyandala – roughly 2% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $784 per month in Ratnapura and $769 in Piliyandala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura and $13.00 in Piliyandala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $523 in Ratnapura and $513 in Piliyandala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $523 in Ratnapura and $513 in Piliyandala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Piliyandala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Piliyandala. 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.