Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Wattala Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Wattala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Ratnapura vs $535 in Wattala, rent included.

A couple spends around $858 per month in Ratnapura vs $884 in Wattala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,183 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,234 in Wattala, rent included.

Ratnapura and Wattala have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 LKR 735

$4.07 LKR 1,366

-46.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.13 LKR 3,398

$24.66 LKR 8,273

-58.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 LKR 2,287

$8.49 LKR 2,847

-19.79%

Cappuccino

$2.37 LKR 797

$2.61 LKR 877

-9.20%

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

$0.87 LKR 291

$0.69 LKR 232

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 164

$0.37 LKR 124

32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 713

$2.29 LKR 769

-7.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 988

$3.43 LKR 1,152

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LKR 662

$1.71 LKR 573

15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 271

$0.52 LKR 174

55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 242

$0.83 LKR 278

-13.25%

Eggs

$1.24 LKR 417

$2.13 LKR 714

-41.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.47 LKR 5,527

$14.34 LKR 4,811

14.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 LKR 2,338

$4.69 LKR 1,575

48.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 LKR 5,766

$8.02 LKR 2,691

114.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 LKR 1,563

$7.29 LKR 2,446

-36.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 260

$1.07 LKR 359

-28.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,603

$5.67 LKR 1,902

-15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 355

$1.26 LKR 423

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 377

$1.11 LKR 372

0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 LKR 502

$1.37 LKR 459

9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 LKR 174

$1.19 LKR 398

-56.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.61 LKR 203

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.29 LKR 4,794

$9.99 LKR 3,353

43.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 LKR 4,175

$12.47 LKR 4,184

-0.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 LKR 773

$2.00 LKR 670

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 LKR 1,077

$2.87 LKR 964

11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 139

$0.38 LKR 128

7.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 177

$0.36 LKR 120

47.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.58 LKR 194

-39.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 LKR 361

$1.26 LKR 424

-14.29%

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

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

-17.72%

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

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

$35.3K LKR 11.8M

-39.63%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

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

$2.26 LKR 757

$4.27 LKR 1,434

-47.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.88 LKR 2,645

$15.04 LKR 5,046

-47.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,389

$13.54 LKR 4,543

-25.41%

Cinema Ticket

$2.71 LKR 910

$3.41 LKR 1,146

-20.53%

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

$36.65 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 149.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.60 LKR 3,893

$27.18 LKR 9,122

-57.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.24 LKR 2,766

$19.38 LKR 6,502

-57.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

34.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.63 LKR 9,606

$39.12 LKR 13.1K

-26.81%

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 Wattala: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Wattala. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Ratnapura vs $255 in Wattala – so Wattala 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 Wattala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $801 per month in Ratnapura and $802 in Wattala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Wattala – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura and $25.00 in Wattala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $534 in Ratnapura and $535 in Wattala, 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, Wattala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.