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 $734 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $722 in Ndola, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,700 in Ndola, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,572 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $2,678 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 45% lower, Ndola 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,368

$7.10 ZMW 127

-41.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.76 LKR 8,211

$24.46 ZMW 437

1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 LKR 2,811

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

131.69%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 884

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

37.63%

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

$0.75 LKR 247

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

97.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

123.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 757

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

142.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 LKR 1,092

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

78.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 LKR 497

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

20.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

-32.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

-45.86%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 705

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

69.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 LKR 3,410

$7.55 ZMW 135

36.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,507

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

15.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.85 LKR 1,940

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

24.73%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 LKR 2,046

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

401.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

-32.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 LKR 1,894

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

105.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 415

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

6.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 334

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

-43.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 309

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

-29.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

23.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 LKR 166

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

-1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 LKR 2,805

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

238.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 LKR 4,167

$10.85 ZMW 194

15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 LKR 486

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

28.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 LKR 600

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 105

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

-41.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,392

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 114

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

-81.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 145

$9.44 ZMW 168

-95.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 419

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

6.72%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

235.17%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

22.67%

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

$30.64 LKR 10.2K

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

-66.62%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,399

$36.35 ZMW 649

-88.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 LKR 4,943

$124 ZMW 2,206

-87.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.06 LKR 6,984

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,135

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

-15.76%

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

$36.74 LKR 12.2K

$173 ZMW 3,095

-78.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 143.6K

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

-95.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 9,290

$19.00 ZMW 339

47.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.05 LKR 6,317

$17.14 ZMW 306

11.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 LKR 22.9K

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

-18.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.31 LKR 12.7K

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

-47.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 LKR 111.0K

$126 ZMW 2,253

165.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 LKR 84.1K

$109 ZMW 1,953

131.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 LKR 169.8K

$266 ZMW 4,753

92.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 LKR 138.5K

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

-71.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$686 LKR 227.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$528 LKR 175.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 LKR 100.3K

$610 ZMW 10.9K

-50.41%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ndola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 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 102% 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 $24.00 in Ndola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $170 – making Ndola 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 – 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 $1,100 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $1,083 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 $24.00 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 $734 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $722 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.