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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $484 per month in Ratnapura vs $575 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $779 per month in Ratnapura vs $905 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,073 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,236 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 16% cheaper than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ratnapura and Piliyandala are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 65% lower, Piliyandala 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 LKR 640

$2.99 LKR 989

-35.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.13 LKR 3,019

$12.31 LKR 4,070

-25.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 LKR 2,040

$7.69 LKR 2,542

-19.77%

Cappuccino

$2.12 LKR 700

$2.56 LKR 845

-17.19%

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

$0.74 LKR 244

$0.68 LKR 225

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.25 LKR 82.2

88.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 LKR 668

$1.84 LKR 607

9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 LKR 896

$3.02 LKR 999

-10.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 LKR 600

$1.63 LKR 540

11.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 LKR 256

$0.53 LKR 176

45.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 LKR 203

$0.74 LKR 243

-17.57%

Eggs

$1.08 LKR 357

$1.65 LKR 546

-34.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 LKR 4,963

$12.97 LKR 4,287

15.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 LKR 2,086

$4.97 LKR 1,644

26.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.81 LKR 5,229

$7.43 LKR 2,457

112.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 LKR 1,454

$6.87 LKR 2,271

-35.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$0.88 LKR 292

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 LKR 1,407

$4.25 LKR 1,406

0.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 332

$1.30 LKR 428

-23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 352

$0.98 LKR 325

8.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 LKR 477

$0.76 LKR 252

89.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.95 LKR 314

-49.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.48 LKR 160

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.12 LKR 4,339

$10.50 LKR 3,471

24.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 LKR 4,219

$13.84 LKR 4,578

-7.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 676

$2.00 LKR 661

2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 968

$2.78 LKR 921

5.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.35 LKR 115

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.29 LKR 95.3

62.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 294

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 LKR 321

$1.34 LKR 443

-27.61%

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

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

-47.21%

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

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

$41.0K LKR 13.6M

-51.61%

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

$54.1 LKR 17.9K

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

$2.13 LKR 704

$4.22 LKR 1,397

-49.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.40 LKR 2,448

$20.81 LKR 6,881

-64.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.04 LKR 2,988

Cinema Ticket

$2.39 LKR 791

$4.32 LKR 1,429

-44.68%

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

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,234 LKR 408.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.50 LKR 3,472

$19.90 LKR 6,581

-47.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.79 LKR 2,577

$16.80 LKR 5,556

-53.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 LKR 28.0K

$81.0 LKR 26.8K

4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.60 LKR 8,463

$43.20 LKR 14.3K

-40.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 LKR 25.1K

$106 LKR 34.9K

-28.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.8 LKR 17.8K

$76.8 LKR 25.4K

-29.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 LKR 86.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 LKR 28.8K

$179 LKR 59.2K

-51.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 LKR 55.4K

$300 LKR 99.1K

-44.10%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Piliyandala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.8 in Ratnapura versus $106 in Piliyandala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 79% higher in Piliyandala, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura versus $12.00 in Piliyandala. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Ratnapura vs $238 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: $484 in Ratnapura, $575 in Piliyandala – roughly 19% apart. Piliyandala costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $726 per month in Ratnapura and $862 in Piliyandala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Ratnapura and $12.00 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 $484 in Ratnapura and $575 in Piliyandala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $484 in Ratnapura and $575 in Piliyandala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Piliyandala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.