Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wattala and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $574 in Wattala, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Wattala
Learn more

Wattala Living Index

Jump to prices

Wattala

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$574

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wattala and in Matale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wattala and in Matale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $574 per month in Wattala vs $119 in Matale, rent included.

Wattala $574
Matale $119

A couple spends around $951 per month in Wattala vs $199 in Matale, rent included.

Wattala $951
Matale $199

A family of three spends $1,328 per month in Wattala vs $278 in Matale, rent included.

Wattala $1,328
Matale $278

Wattala costs about 381% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Wattala and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Wattala 58% lower, Matale 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 LKR 1,274

$1.86 LKR 618

105.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.35 LKR 8,098

$9.21 LKR 3,063

164.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 LKR 2,540

$4.62 LKR 1,537

65.37%

Cappuccino

$2.48 LKR 824

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

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.47 LKR 157

44.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.9

$0.27 LKR 89.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 LKR 712

$2.42 LKR 805

-11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 1,011

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 LKR 528

$1.70 LKR 565

-6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 178

$0.37 LKR 123

45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 256

$0.68 LKR 227

13.24%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 545

$1.11 LKR 368

47.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 LKR 4,655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 LKR 1,582

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 LKR 2,440

Apples (1kg)

$6.41 LKR 2,133

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 265

$0.58 LKR 192

37.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 LKR 1,452

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 422

$0.86 LKR 286

47.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 348

$0.55 LKR 183

90.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 256

$0.52 LKR 172

48.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 315

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 LKR 143

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 LKR 3,411

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,236

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 630

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 965

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 LKR 66.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 LKR 113

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 295

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 LKR 376

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

$43.2K LKR 14.4M

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

$40.4K LKR 13.4M

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

$58.9 LKR 19.6K

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

$4.18 LKR 1,391

$3.74 LKR 1,242

11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.89 LKR 6,949

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.62 LKR 4,530

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 LKR 1,519

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 LKR 975

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

$37.76 LKR 12.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 LKR 399.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.04 LKR 5,999

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.50 LKR 5,490

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 LKR 25.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.08 LKR 14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$104 LKR 34.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.1 LKR 20.3K

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

81.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 LKR 80.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.1K

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

265.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 LKR 61.1K

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 Wattala: November 3, 2026

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Wattala

$234 40.7%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Wattala

$104 18.1%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wattala

$84 14.6%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Wattala

$69 12.1%

Matale

–

Accommodation & Living

Wattala

$61 10.6%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Wattala

$19 3.4%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Wattala

$2.9 * 0.5%

Matale

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Wattala versus $9 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $38 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Wattala

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

22:00 10:00 PM

Same time as Wattala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,200

40,800

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Wattala Matale 97 km

From you

Wattala
Matale

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Wattala vs Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wattala costs about 381% more than Matale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $861 per month in Wattala and $179 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $574 in Wattala and $119 in Matale. That makes Matale about 79% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 510% more in Wattala, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $574 in Wattala and $119 in Matale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Wattala has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $574 in Wattala. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.