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 $718 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $751 in Ndola, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,768 in Ndola, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,454 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $2,784 in Ndola, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is about 4% cheaper than Ndola, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Ndola are more affordable than the global median – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower, Ndola 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$5.75 ZMW 110

-24.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.79 LKR 8,133

$31.73 ZMW 608

-21.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,473

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

46.98%

Cappuccino

$2.51 LKR 823

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

-13.15%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 720

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,018

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

31.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 LKR 430

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

-24.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 186

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

-52.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 227

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

-67.76%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 524

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

-3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 LKR 4,368

$10.73 ZMW 205

24.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 LKR 1,438

$6.47 ZMW 124

-32.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 LKR 1,742

$6.81 ZMW 130

-22.03%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 LKR 2,050

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

293.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

-64.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,415

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

14.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 390

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 306

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

-64.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

-61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 293

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

-23.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

-25.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 LKR 3,017

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

194.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,093

$10.45 ZMW 200

19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 630

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 923

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

16.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

-88.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 122

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

-76.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

-83.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 379

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

-21.09%

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

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

292.91%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

54.51%

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

$45.15 LKR 14.8K

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

-46.62%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,408

$10.89 ZMW 209

-60.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.22 LKR 4,009

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

-78.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.98 LKR 4,915

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 LKR 1,017

$6.17 ZMW 118

-49.76%

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

$38.65 LKR 12.7K

$143 ZMW 2,732

-72.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$896 LKR 293.9K

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

-94.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.93 LKR 6,540

$24.07 ZMW 461

-17.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 LKR 5,438

$16.45 ZMW 315

0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 LKR 25.8K

$47.47 ZMW 909

65.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 LKR 13.7K

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

-44.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 100.8K

$181 ZMW 3,474

69.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 LKR 74.8K

$157 ZMW 3,009

45.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 LKR 146.9K

$388 ZMW 7,439

15.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 LKR 126.5K

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

-74.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 220.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$542 LKR 177.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 LKR 101.4K

$591 ZMW 11.3K

-47.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

-56.24%

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

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $181 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 91% higher in Ndola, 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 $32.00 in Ndola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $233 – making Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Ndola is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,077 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $1,127 in Ndola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 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 $32.00 in Ndola. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Ndola, 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 $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $751 in Ndola, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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