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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $571 per month in Wattala vs $484 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $960 per month in Wattala vs $779 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,349 per month in Wattala vs $1,073 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Wattala costs about 18% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wattala and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Wattala 58% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 LKR 1,479

$1.94 LKR 640

130.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.94 LKR 8,578

$9.13 LKR 3,019

184.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 LKR 2,468

$6.17 LKR 2,040

20.91%

Cappuccino

$2.55 LKR 842

$2.12 LKR 700

20.28%

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

$0.69 LKR 227

$0.74 LKR 244

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.3

$0.47 LKR 157

-42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 LKR 730

$2.02 LKR 668

9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,025

$2.71 LKR 896

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 LKR 524

$1.81 LKR 600

-12.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.77 LKR 256

-27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.61 LKR 203

21.31%

Eggs

$1.57 LKR 520

$1.08 LKR 357

45.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 LKR 4,399

$15.01 LKR 4,963

-11.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 LKR 1,630

$6.31 LKR 2,086

-21.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 LKR 2,367

$15.81 LKR 5,229

-54.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 LKR 2,249

$4.40 LKR 1,454

54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 272

$0.76 LKR 251

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 LKR 1,397

$4.26 LKR 1,407

-0.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 407

$1.00 LKR 332

23.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 328

$1.06 LKR 352

-6.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$1.44 LKR 477

-47.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 LKR 316

$0.48 LKR 158

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$0.48 LKR 158

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 LKR 3,478

$13.12 LKR 4,339

-19.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.44 LKR 4,444

$12.76 LKR 4,219

5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 660

$2.04 LKR 676

-1.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 LKR 932

$2.93 LKR 968

-3.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 LKR 66.1

$0.35 LKR 117

-42.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$0.38 LKR 127

2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 114

$0.47 LKR 156

-25.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 287

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 LKR 392

$0.97 LKR 321

21.65%

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

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

89.50%

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

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

104.84%

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

$54.1 LKR 17.9K

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

$4.09 LKR 1,353

$2.13 LKR 704

92.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 LKR 6,797

$7.40 LKR 2,448

177.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.50 LKR 4,465

$9.04 LKR 2,988

49.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.69 LKR 1,551

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 LKR 1,033

$2.39 LKR 791

30.54%

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

$38.31 LKR 12.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,236 LKR 408.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.27 LKR 6,702

$10.50 LKR 3,472

93.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.95 LKR 5,603

$7.79 LKR 2,577

117.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 LKR 26.0K

$84.8 LKR 28.0K

-7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.99 LKR 14.2K

$25.60 LKR 8,463

67.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 LKR 34.9K

$75.8 LKR 25.1K

39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.3 LKR 20.3K

$53.8 LKR 17.8K

13.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 LKR 79.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 LKR 60.3K

$87.0 LKR 28.8K

109.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 LKR 55.4K

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $105 in Wattala versus $75.8 in Ratnapura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Wattala versus $9.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Wattala vs $261 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 18%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $857 per month in Wattala and $726 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 11% 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 $26.00 in Wattala 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 $571 in Wattala and $484 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.