Cost of Living Comparison Between Wattala and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Wattala and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $547 per month in Wattala vs $531 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $876 per month in Wattala vs $838 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,205 per month in Wattala vs $1,145 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Wattala costs about 3% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Wattala and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Wattala 59% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 LKR 1,316

$2.21 LKR 737

78.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.94 LKR 8,320

$10.19 LKR 3,399

144.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,735

$6.55 LKR 2,184

25.19%

Cappuccino

$2.68 LKR 892

$2.40 LKR 800

11.67%

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

$0.70 LKR 233

$0.80 LKR 267

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.52 LKR 173

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 798

$2.12 LKR 706

12.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 LKR 1,141

$3.02 LKR 1,008

13.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 569

$1.98 LKR 661

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$0.83 LKR 277

-33.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 287

$0.72 LKR 239

19.44%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 737

$1.19 LKR 399

85.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 LKR 4,641

$16.56 LKR 5,523

-16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,594

$7.21 LKR 2,404

-33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 LKR 2,606

$17.39 LKR 5,799

-55.09%

Apples (1kg)

$7.52 LKR 2,509

$4.59 LKR 1,532

63.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 357

$0.78 LKR 259

37.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 LKR 1,974

$4.74 LKR 1,583

24.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 418

$1.08 LKR 361

15.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 367

$1.17 LKR 389

-5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 455

$1.58 LKR 528

-13.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 396

$0.53 LKR 176

124.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 184

$0.48 LKR 159

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 LKR 3,296

$14.80 LKR 4,936

-33.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 LKR 4,265

$12.63 LKR 4,214

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 675

$2.31 LKR 771

-12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 954

$3.20 LKR 1,067

-10.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.41 LKR 138

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$0.52 LKR 175

-32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 193

$0.34 LKR 114

70.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 399

$1.07 LKR 356

12.15%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.8M

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

20.84%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.8M

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

63.73%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.2K

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

$4.32 LKR 1,440

$2.26 LKR 754

91.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.44 LKR 5,151

$7.81 LKR 2,605

97.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.58 LKR 4,528

$10.22 LKR 3,410

32.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 LKR 1,143

$2.60 LKR 869

31.92%

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

$36.18 LKR 12.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 144.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.34 LKR 9,119

$11.64 LKR 3,883

134.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.27 LKR 6,428

$8.47 LKR 2,824

127.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 LKR 23.0K

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

-27.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

$28.23 LKR 9,416

38.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.6 LKR 27.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 LKR 31.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 LKR 55.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Wattala: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Wattala versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Wattala vs $283 in Ratnapura – so Wattala 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

Wattala vs Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wattala is pricier by about 3%, 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 $821 per month in Wattala and $797 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Wattala – 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 Wattala 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 $547 in Wattala and $531 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, Wattala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.