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 $734 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $520 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $847 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,572 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,173 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs about 41% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 45% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,368

$2.21 LKR 733

86.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.76 LKR 8,211

$9.89 LKR 3,280

150.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 LKR 2,811

$6.73 LKR 2,230

26.00%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 884

$2.39 LKR 791

11.72%

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

$0.75 LKR 247

$0.82 LKR 272

-8.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.52 LKR 172

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 757

$2.20 LKR 729

3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 LKR 1,092

$2.97 LKR 985

10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 LKR 497

$1.97 LKR 652

-23.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$0.86 LKR 284

-38.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$0.72 LKR 240

18.06%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 705

$1.17 LKR 390

82.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 LKR 3,410

$16.64 LKR 5,518

-38.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,507

$6.84 LKR 2,267

-33.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.85 LKR 1,940

$17.39 LKR 5,765

-66.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 LKR 2,046

$4.71 LKR 1,562

31.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$0.82 LKR 271

35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 LKR 1,894

$4.67 LKR 1,548

22.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 415

$1.09 LKR 362

14.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 334

$1.16 LKR 385

-12.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 309

$1.50 LKR 498

-38.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.56 LKR 185

103.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 LKR 166

$0.52 LKR 172

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 LKR 2,805

$14.71 LKR 4,876

-42.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 LKR 4,167

$12.45 LKR 4,129

0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 LKR 486

$2.22 LKR 738

-33.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 LKR 600

$3.12 LKR 1,034

-41.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 105

$0.41 LKR 137

-21.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,392

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 114

$0.39 LKR 129

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.53 LKR 176

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 145

$0.34 LKR 113

29.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 419

$1.07 LKR 353

18.69%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

$22.1K LKR 7.3M

23.30%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

61.49%

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

$30.64 LKR 10.2K

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

$4.22 LKR 1,399

$2.33 LKR 773

81.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 LKR 4,943

$8.13 LKR 2,697

83.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.06 LKR 6,984

$10.18 LKR 3,377

106.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,135

$2.66 LKR 884

28.57%

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

$36.74 LKR 12.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 143.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 9,290

$11.76 LKR 3,901

138.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.05 LKR 6,317

$8.56 LKR 2,838

122.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 LKR 22.9K

$93.5 LKR 31.0K

-26.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.31 LKR 12.7K

$28.55 LKR 9,466

34.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 LKR 111.0K

$85.0 LKR 28.2K

294.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 LKR 84.1K

$59.4 LKR 19.7K

327.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 LKR 169.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 LKR 138.5K

$92.3 LKR 30.6K

352.74%

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

$172 LKR 57.0K

76.00%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $85.0 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 76% 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 – $221 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $282 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 41%, 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 $1,100 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $780 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 27% 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 $734 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $520 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.