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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Ratnapura vs $514 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $838 per month in Ratnapura vs $810 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,145 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,106 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Ratnapura costs about 3% 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

$2.21 LKR 737

$3.42 LKR 1,139

-35.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.19 LKR 3,399

$13.52 LKR 4,511

-24.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 LKR 2,184

$8.60 LKR 2,868

-23.84%

Cappuccino

$2.40 LKR 800

$2.68 LKR 893

-10.45%

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

$0.80 LKR 267

$0.68 LKR 227

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.40 LKR 135

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 706

$2.04 LKR 679

3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,008

$3.29 LKR 1,099

-8.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 LKR 661

$1.76 LKR 586

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 LKR 277

$0.53 LKR 176

56.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 239

$0.87 LKR 291

-17.24%

Eggs

$1.19 LKR 399

$2.23 LKR 744

-46.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.56 LKR 5,523

$13.82 LKR 4,609

19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 LKR 2,404

$4.61 LKR 1,538

56.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 LKR 5,799

$8.21 LKR 2,740

111.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 LKR 1,532

$7.58 LKR 2,529

-39.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 259

$1.11 LKR 371

-29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,583

$5.87 LKR 1,957

-19.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 361

$1.24 LKR 414

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 LKR 389

$1.11 LKR 371

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 LKR 528

$1.35 LKR 452

17.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.14 LKR 379

-53.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

$0.55 LKR 185

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 LKR 4,936

$9.96 LKR 3,324

48.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 LKR 4,214

$12.87 LKR 4,292

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 LKR 771

$2.00 LKR 666

15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 LKR 1,067

$2.92 LKR 974

9.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.36 LKR 118

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 114

$0.61 LKR 205

-44.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 LKR 356

$1.25 LKR 418

-14.40%

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

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-18.08%

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

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-37.30%

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

$60.6 LKR 20.2K

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

$2.26 LKR 754

$4.42 LKR 1,475

-48.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.81 LKR 2,605

$15.24 LKR 5,084

-48.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,410

Cinema Ticket

$2.60 LKR 869

$3.45 LKR 1,150

-24.64%

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

$36.95 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$438 LKR 146.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.64 LKR 3,883

$28.06 LKR 9,361

-58.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.47 LKR 2,824

$19.67 LKR 6,560

-56.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

$68.1 LKR 22.7K

39.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.23 LKR 9,416

$38.22 LKR 12.8K

-26.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.6 LKR 27.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 LKR 31.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.0K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Piliyandala: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $14.00 in Piliyandala. Groceries tell a different story – $283 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: $531 in Ratnapura, $514 in Piliyandala – roughly 3% apart. Ratnapura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $797 per month in Ratnapura and $771 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 $14.00 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 $531 in Ratnapura and $514 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 $531 in Ratnapura and $514 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.