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 $718 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $475 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $767 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,454 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,059 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs about 51% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$2.02 LKR 662

115.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.79 LKR 8,133

$8.93 LKR 2,930

177.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,473

$5.99 LKR 1,965

25.88%

Cappuccino

$2.51 LKR 823

$2.08 LKR 683

20.67%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.75 LKR 246

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.44 LKR 144

-43.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 720

$1.93 LKR 632

13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,018

$2.67 LKR 877

16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 LKR 430

$1.87 LKR 614

-29.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 186

$0.75 LKR 245

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 227

$0.65 LKR 214

6.15%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 524

$1.08 LKR 353

48.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 LKR 4,368

$14.76 LKR 4,842

-9.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 LKR 1,438

$6.35 LKR 2,082

-31.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 LKR 1,742

$15.97 LKR 5,239

-66.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 LKR 2,050

$4.23 LKR 1,389

47.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$0.74 LKR 244

18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,415

$4.17 LKR 1,368

3.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 390

$0.95 LKR 312

25.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 306

$1.02 LKR 334

-8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$1.42 LKR 465

-47.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 293

$0.51 LKR 166

74.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$0.48 LKR 156

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 LKR 3,017

$12.94 LKR 4,244

-28.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,093

$12.84 LKR 4,213

-2.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 630

$2.12 LKR 695

-9.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 923

$2.91 LKR 955

-3.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 LKR 123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$0.37 LKR 122

-16.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 122

$0.48 LKR 157

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 379

$0.91 LKR 300

27.47%

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

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

$19.6K LKR 6.4M

57.82%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$20.0K LKR 6.6M

109.44%

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

$45.15 LKR 14.8K

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

$4.29 LKR 1,408

$2.08 LKR 681

106.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.22 LKR 4,009

$7.50 LKR 2,460

62.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.98 LKR 4,915

$9.26 LKR 3,037

61.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 LKR 1,017

$2.44 LKR 802

27.05%

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

$38.65 LKR 12.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$896 LKR 293.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.93 LKR 6,540

$10.55 LKR 3,461

88.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 LKR 5,438

$7.50 LKR 2,460

120.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 LKR 25.8K

$84.4 LKR 27.7K

-6.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 LKR 13.7K

$25.38 LKR 8,326

64.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 100.8K

$76.7 LKR 25.2K

300.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 LKR 74.8K

$54.7 LKR 17.9K

317.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 LKR 146.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 LKR 126.5K

$84.6 LKR 27.7K

355.72%

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

$170 LKR 55.8K

81.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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 Ratnapura: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $76.7 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 82% 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 $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $260 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 51%, 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 $1,077 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $713 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 18% 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 $9.00 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 $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $475 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.