Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Ndola Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Ndola

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $754 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $742 in Ndola, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,171 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,740 in Ndola, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $2,738 in Ndola, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs about 2% more than Ndola, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Ndola are more affordable than the global median – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 44% lower, Ndola 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 LKR 1,345

$7.08 ZMW 129

-43.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 LKR 8,409

$25.36 ZMW 462

-1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 LKR 2,736

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

121.20%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 910

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

38.27%

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

$0.74 LKR 250

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

111.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 LKR 809

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

173.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,138

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

94.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 LKR 499

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

-32.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

-47.88%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 709

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

59.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 LKR 3,496

$7.82 ZMW 142

33.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 LKR 1,540

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

15.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.87 LKR 1,972

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

25.70%

Apples (1kg)

$6.42 LKR 2,156

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

421.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 372

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

-30.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 LKR 1,950

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

117.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 401

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

1.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LKR 319

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

-47.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 LKR 304

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

-31.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 400

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

38.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LKR 178

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.59 LKR 2,885

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

236.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 LKR 4,211

$10.79 ZMW 196

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 LKR 511

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

39.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 LKR 601

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,438

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

-82.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

$9.45 ZMW 172

-95.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 406

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

-1.63%

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

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

239.41%

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

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

23.29%

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

$30.12 LKR 10.1K

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

-67.01%

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

$4.42 LKR 1,486

$36.46 ZMW 664

-87.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.96 LKR 5,027

$123 ZMW 2,241

-87.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.63 LKR 6,932

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,119

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

-21.65%

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

$37.30 LKR 12.5K

$178 ZMW 3,240

-79.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 146.5K

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

-95.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.06 LKR 9,092

$18.59 ZMW 338

45.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.44 LKR 6,532

$17.17 ZMW 312

13.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 LKR 23.2K

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

-18.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

-47.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 LKR 114.6K

$126 ZMW 2,295

170.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 LKR 85.3K

$109 ZMW 1,979

133.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 LKR 168.3K

$276 ZMW 5,020

81.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 LKR 142.5K

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

-71.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 225.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 LKR 172.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 LKR 101.8K

$608 ZMW 11.1K

-50.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-40.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $126 in Ndola. 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 101% higher in Ndola, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $25.00 in Ndola. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $170 in Ndola – so Ndola 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

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

Yes – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,132 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $1,113 in Ndola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ndola, 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 $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $25.00 in Ndola. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $742 in Ndola, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ndola – 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 Ndola. 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.