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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $535 per month in Wattala vs $534 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $884 per month in Wattala vs $858 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,234 per month in Wattala vs $1,183 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Wattala and Ratnapura have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$2.19 LKR 735

85.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.66 LKR 8,273

$10.13 LKR 3,398

143.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 LKR 2,847

$6.81 LKR 2,287

24.67%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 877

$2.37 LKR 797

10.13%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$0.87 LKR 291

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.49 LKR 164

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 769

$2.12 LKR 713

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,152

$2.94 LKR 988

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 573

$1.97 LKR 662

-13.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.81 LKR 271

-35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 278

$0.72 LKR 242

15.28%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 714

$1.24 LKR 417

71.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 LKR 4,811

$16.47 LKR 5,527

-12.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,575

$6.97 LKR 2,338

-32.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 LKR 2,691

$17.18 LKR 5,766

-53.32%

Apples (1kg)

$7.29 LKR 2,446

$4.66 LKR 1,563

56.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$0.77 LKR 260

38.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 LKR 1,902

$4.78 LKR 1,603

18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.06 LKR 355

18.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 372

$1.12 LKR 377

-0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 459

$1.50 LKR 502

-8.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 398

$0.52 LKR 174

128.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 203

$0.52 LKR 175

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,353

$14.29 LKR 4,794

-30.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 LKR 4,184

$12.44 LKR 4,175

0.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 670

$2.30 LKR 773

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 964

$3.21 LKR 1,077

-10.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.41 LKR 139

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 120

$0.53 LKR 177

-32.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$0.35 LKR 116

65.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 424

$1.08 LKR 361

16.67%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

21.54%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.8M

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

65.65%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

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

$4.27 LKR 1,434

$2.26 LKR 757

88.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,046

$7.88 LKR 2,645

90.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.54 LKR 4,543

$10.10 LKR 3,389

34.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,146

$2.71 LKR 910

25.83%

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

$36.65 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 149.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.18 LKR 9,122

$11.60 LKR 3,893

134.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.38 LKR 6,502

$8.24 LKR 2,766

135.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

-25.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.12 LKR 13.1K

$28.63 LKR 9,606

36.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 57.0K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Wattala versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Wattala vs $281 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $802 per month in Wattala and $801 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 $535 in Wattala and $534 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.