Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $226 a month against $707 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
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Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Living Index

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Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$707

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$226

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and in Matale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and in Matale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $707 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $226 in Matale, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte $707
Matale $226

A couple spends around $1,096 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $370 in Matale, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte $1,096
Matale $370

A family of three spends $1,485 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $513 in Matale, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte $1,485
Matale $513

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs about 213% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower, Matale 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.84 LKR 1,271

$1.76 LKR 584

118.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 LKR 8,331

$8.99 LKR 2,979

179.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 LKR 2,533

$4.51 LKR 1,493

69.62%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 852

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$0.49 LKR 162

48.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.22 LKR 72.8

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 LKR 735

$2.38 LKR 787

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 989

$1.86 LKR 617

60.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 421

$1.47 LKR 487

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 LKR 191

$0.46 LKR 152

26.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.63 LKR 208

17.46%

Eggs

$1.72 LKR 568

$1.59 LKR 528

8.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 LKR 4,576

$9.73 LKR 3,221

41.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 LKR 1,462

$3.59 LKR 1,189

22.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.29 LKR 1,754

$7.43 LKR 2,461

-28.80%

Apples (1kg)

$6.21 LKR 2,058

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 279

$0.56 LKR 184

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 LKR 1,445

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 397

$0.87 LKR 288

37.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 288

$0.52 LKR 173

67.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 270

$0.52 LKR 173

57.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 291

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 151

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.15 LKR 3,031

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,216

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 LKR 645

$1.63 LKR 539

19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,001

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 103

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.25 LKR 83.1

52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 LKR 381

$1.14 LKR 376

0.88%

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

$43.5K LKR 14.4M

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

$41.0K LKR 13.6M

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

$45.62 LKR 15.1K

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

$4.36 LKR 1,445

$3.75 LKR 1,244

16.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.16 LKR 4,028

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.89 LKR 4,933

Cinema Ticket

$3.08 LKR 1,020

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

$37.61 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$896 LKR 296.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.40 LKR 6,093

$23.70 LKR 7,851

-22.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.89 LKR 5,593

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 LKR 26.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.35 LKR 13.7K

$10.70 LKR 3,544

286.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 101.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 LKR 74.1K

$43.05 LKR 14.3K

419.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 LKR 147.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 LKR 126.4K

$61.6 LKR 20.4K

519.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$692 LKR 229.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$531 LKR 175.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$298 LKR 98.8K

$164 LKR 54.4K

81.42%

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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: October 19, 2026

Last update for Matale: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$224 31.7%

Matale

–

Groceries & Markets

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$222 31.4%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$105 14.9%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$70 9.9%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$62 8.8%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$21 3%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$2.2 * 0.3%

Matale

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 81% higher in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 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 $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $9.00 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $116 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

13:01 1:01 PM

Same time as Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,826 Capital

40,800

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs about 213% more than Matale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,060 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $338 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $707 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $226 in Matale. That's a gap of about 213%.

Groceries cost about 91% more in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $707 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $226 in Matale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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