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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $754 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $517 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,171 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $833 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,149 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs about 46% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 44% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 LKR 1,345

$2.23 LKR 748

79.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 LKR 8,411

$10.02 LKR 3,367

149.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 LKR 2,737

$6.80 LKR 2,285

19.71%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 910

$2.35 LKR 791

15.32%

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

$0.74 LKR 250

$0.82 LKR 274

-9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.52 LKR 174

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 LKR 809

$2.23 LKR 749

8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,138

$3.09 LKR 1,039

9.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 LKR 499

$2.04 LKR 686

-26.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$0.81 LKR 271

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$0.67 LKR 226

28.36%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 709

$1.19 LKR 401

77.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 LKR 3,497

$16.66 LKR 5,599

-37.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 LKR 1,540

$7.14 LKR 2,401

-35.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.87 LKR 1,972

$17.18 LKR 5,774

-65.83%

Apples (1kg)

$6.42 LKR 2,156

$4.66 LKR 1,564

37.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$0.82 LKR 276

35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 LKR 1,950

$4.65 LKR 1,564

24.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 401

$1.08 LKR 363

10.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LKR 319

$1.17 LKR 392

-18.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 LKR 304

$1.56 LKR 525

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 400

$0.56 LKR 189

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LKR 178

$0.48 LKR 162

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.59 LKR 2,886

$14.66 LKR 4,927

-41.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 LKR 4,212

$12.44 LKR 4,181

0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 LKR 512

$2.32 LKR 779

-34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 LKR 601

$3.13 LKR 1,053

-42.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.42 LKR 141

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,439

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.38 LKR 129

-15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.53 LKR 178

-39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.32 LKR 106

46.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 406

$1.06 LKR 357

14.15%

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

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

23.13%

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

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

$21.4K LKR 7.2M

61.47%

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

$30.12 LKR 10.1K

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

$4.42 LKR 1,486

$2.25 LKR 755

96.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.96 LKR 5,028

$8.23 LKR 2,767

81.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.63 LKR 6,933

$9.99 LKR 3,356

106.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,120

$2.61 LKR 876

27.59%

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

$37.30 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 146.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.06 LKR 9,093

$11.53 LKR 3,874

134.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.44 LKR 6,533

$8.41 LKR 2,825

131.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 LKR 23.2K

$95.5 LKR 32.1K

-27.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

$28.66 LKR 9,630

34.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 LKR 114.6K

$82.8 LKR 27.8K

311.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 LKR 85.4K

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

313.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 LKR 168.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 LKR 142.5K

$92.9 LKR 31.2K

356.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 225.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 LKR 172.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 LKR 101.8K

$165 LKR 55.5K

83.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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 Ratnapura: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $82.8 in Ratnapura. 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 83% 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 $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $283 in Ratnapura – so Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $776 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – 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 $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $10.00 in Ratnapura. 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 $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $517 in Ratnapura, 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, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.