Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Hong Kong

For one person, living is cheaper in Bentota: $777 a month against $3,050 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $27,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bentota, Sri Lanka
Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China)
Bentota
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$777
/mo nomad
Hong Kong
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)
$3,050
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bentota and in Hong Kong

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $777 in Bentota versus $3,050 in Hong Kong.

  • Bentota $777
  • Hong Kong $3,050

Estimated couple costs with rent: $896 in Bentota versus $4,786 in Hong Kong.

  • Bentota $896
  • Hong Kong $4,786

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,014 in Bentota versus $6,522 in Hong Kong.

  • Bentota $1,014
  • Hong Kong $6,522

Living in Bentota costs roughly 75% less than in Hong Kong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bentota is 42% below, Hong Kong is 126% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.78 LKR 1,257
$8.37 HK$65.6
-54.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.00 LKR 3,991
$63.4 HK$497
-81.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.36 LKR 2,446
$6.53 HK$51.2
12.71%
Cappuccino
$2.47 LKR 822
$5.15 HK$40.36
-52.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 LKR 236
$1.38 HK$10.81
-48.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 LKR 83.0
$1.13 HK$8.87
-77.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 LKR 728
$7.73 HK$60.7
-71.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 LKR 1,030
$5.56 HK$43.65
-44.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 LKR 523
$2.94 HK$23.03
-46.60%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 LKR 174
$2.41 HK$18.92
-78.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.80 LKR 267
$2.22 HK$17.43
-63.96%
Eggs
$1.65 LKR 549
$3.41 HK$26.75
-51.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.18 LKR 5,047
$23.18 HK$182
-34.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.36 LKR 1,118
$8.67 HK$68.0
-61.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.47 LKR 1,487
$17.90 HK$140
-75.03%
Apples (1kg)
$6.76 LKR 2,246
$4.21 HK$33.04
60.57%
Banana (1kg)
$0.76 LKR 254
$2.58 HK$20.21
-70.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.08 LKR 1,355
$4.68 HK$36.71
-12.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.86 LKR 287
$4.00 HK$31.35
-78.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 LKR 357
$3.19 HK$25.00
-66.46%
Onion (1kg)
$0.82 LKR 274
$3.27 HK$25.62
-74.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 LKR 402
$1.57 HK$12.30
-22.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 LKR 139
$1.71 HK$13.45
-75.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.06 LKR 3,346
$13.33 HK$105
-24.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.69 LKR 4,552
$15.56 HK$122
-12.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 LKR 630
$2.02 HK$15.88
-5.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 LKR 956
$2.28 HK$17.85
25.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.19 LKR 62.4
$1.23 HK$9.68
-84.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$87.6 HK$687
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 LKR 126
$3.76 HK$29.49
-89.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 LKR 96.3
$1.30 HK$10.20
-77.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 LKR 308
$15.93 HK$125
-94.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 LKR 461
$4.27 HK$33.51
-67.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.0K LKR 14.6M
$45.0K HK$353.0K
-2.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.0K LKR 15.0M
$37.6K HK$295.0K
19.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.4 LKR 19.1K
$237 HK$1,861
-75.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.32 LKR 770
$15.46 HK$121
-84.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.88 LKR 2,951
$22.46 HK$176
-60.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$97.4 HK$764
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$9.02 HK$70.7
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.59 LKR 1,525
$12.98 HK$102
-64.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$40.65 LKR 13.5K
$1,302 HK$10.2K
-96.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.4K LKR 5.8M
$30.3K HK$237.4K
-42.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.34 LKR 6,099
$68.0 HK$533
-73.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.33 LKR 5,761
$42.80 HK$336
-59.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.6 LKR 25.8K
$81.3 HK$638
-4.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.51 LKR 13.8K
$121 HK$950
-65.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$546 LKR 181.6K
$2,385 HK$18.7K
-77.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$302 LKR 100.3K
$1,794 HK$14.1K
-83.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$5,695 HK$44.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,786 HK$29.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$28.8K HK$226.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$18.9K HK$148.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bentota
Hong Kong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,194 HK$25.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.5
3.89
221.34%

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

Last update for Bentota: October 31, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bentota
$302
Hong Kong
$1.8K 495% $1.5K
Groceries & Markets
Bentota
$223
Hong Kong
$407 82.4% $184
Eating Out
Bentota
$103
Hong Kong
$208 102% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Bentota
$70
Hong Kong
$141 102% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bentota
$69
Hong Kong
$275 301% $207
Sport & Entertainment
Bentota
$9.2 *
Hong Kong
$123 1246% $114
Getting Around
Bentota
$2.6 *
Hong Kong
$103 3883% $100

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $546 in Bentota and $2,385 in Hong Kong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12 in Bentota vs $63 in Hong Kong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $407 per month, with Bentota cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Bentota
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🕒 Local time
08:51 8:51 AM
11:21 11:21 AM
2 h 30 min ahead of Bentota
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,000
1,367,900 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

HKD, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 7.84 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.81 HKD (1 HKD = 0.114 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bentota Hong Kong 4,070 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bentota
  • Hong Kong

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
Bentota vs Hong Kong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bentota cheaper than Hong Kong?
Bentota is about 75% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,166 in Bentota and $4,576 in Hong Kong to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Bentota and Hong Kong?
Rent for a central apartment: $546 in Bentota versus $2,385 in Hong Kong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Bentota and in Hong Kong?
Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Hong Kong. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Bentota and in Hong Kong?
All in, you’ll spend $777 per month in Bentota versus $3,050 in Hong Kong – Bentota is about 75% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Bentota or in Hong Kong?
At $777 in Bentota versus $3,050 in Hong Kong, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Hong Kong. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Bentota or in Hong Kong?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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