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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Ratnapura vs $512 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $858 per month in Ratnapura vs $814 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,183 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,115 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Ratnapura costs about 4% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ratnapura and Piliyandala are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 60% lower, Piliyandala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 LKR 735

$3.39 LKR 1,137

-35.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.13 LKR 3,398

$13.41 LKR 4,501

-24.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 LKR 2,287

$8.25 LKR 2,769

-17.45%

Cappuccino

$2.37 LKR 797

$2.74 LKR 921

-13.50%

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

$0.87 LKR 291

$0.72 LKR 242

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 164

$0.40 LKR 136

22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 713

$2.05 LKR 689

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 988

$3.39 LKR 1,136

-13.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LKR 662

$1.71 LKR 574

15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 271

$0.52 LKR 175

55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 242

$0.83 LKR 277

-13.25%

Eggs

$1.24 LKR 417

$2.12 LKR 712

-41.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.47 LKR 5,527

$13.99 LKR 4,693

17.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 LKR 2,338

$4.64 LKR 1,556

50.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 LKR 5,766

$7.98 LKR 2,678

115.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 LKR 1,563

$7.64 LKR 2,563

-39.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 260

$1.07 LKR 359

-28.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,603

$5.62 LKR 1,885

-14.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 355

$1.20 LKR 403

-11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 377

$1.11 LKR 374

0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 LKR 502

$1.36 LKR 455

10.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 LKR 174

$1.19 LKR 399

-56.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.60 LKR 203

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.29 LKR 4,794

$9.89 LKR 3,319

44.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 LKR 4,175

$12.55 LKR 4,211

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 LKR 773

$2.06 LKR 691

11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 LKR 1,077

$2.94 LKR 986

9.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 139

$0.42 LKR 141

-2.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 177

$0.32 LKR 109

65.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.57 LKR 192

-38.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 LKR 361

$1.20 LKR 403

-10.00%

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

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-19.86%

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

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-38.67%

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

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

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

$2.26 LKR 757

$4.45 LKR 1,492

-49.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.88 LKR 2,645

$15.23 LKR 5,112

-48.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,389

Cinema Ticket

$2.71 LKR 910

$3.30 LKR 1,109

-17.88%

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

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.60 LKR 3,893

$27.95 LKR 9,378

-58.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.24 LKR 2,766

$19.33 LKR 6,487

-57.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

$70.1 LKR 23.5K

34.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.63 LKR 9,606

$38.09 LKR 12.8K

-24.84%

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 57.0K

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 Piliyandala: July 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 – $281 in Ratnapura vs $256 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: $534 in Ratnapura, $512 in Piliyandala – roughly 4% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $801 per month in Ratnapura and $768 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 $534 in Ratnapura and $512 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 $534 in Ratnapura and $512 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.