Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hatton and Jaffna

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaffna: $275 a month against $511 in Hatton, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Hatton
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Hatton Living Index

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Hatton

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$511

/mo nomad

Jaffna

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$275

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hatton and in Jaffna

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

A single person spends $511 per month in Hatton vs $275 in Jaffna, rent included.

Hatton $511
Jaffna $275

A couple spends around $829 per month in Hatton vs $515 in Jaffna, rent included.

Hatton $829
Jaffna $515

A family of three spends $1,148 per month in Hatton vs $756 in Jaffna, rent included.

Hatton $1,148
Jaffna $756

Hatton costs about 86% more than Jaffna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hatton and Jaffna are more affordable than the global median – Hatton 62% lower, Jaffna 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.70 LKR 1,231

$1.06 LKR 354

249.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 LKR 8,273

$38.86 LKR 12.9K

-35.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 LKR 2,468

$4.44 LKR 1,478

67.12%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LKR 851

$3.29 LKR 1,093

-22.19%

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

$0.73 LKR 244

$1.67 LKR 556

-56.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.6

$0.49 LKR 162

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LKR 718

$3.46 LKR 1,150

-37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,030

$6.11 LKR 2,033

-49.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 523

$0.66 LKR 220

137.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 189

$0.46 LKR 152

23.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$0.61 LKR 203

31.15%

Eggs

$1.63 LKR 541

$1.15 LKR 382

41.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.38 LKR 5,115

$4.63 LKR 1,539

232.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,711

$2.95 LKR 982

74.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 LKR 2,467

$6.06 LKR 2,017

22.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.77 LKR 2,253

$3.52 LKR 1,172

92.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 269

$0.59 LKR 196

37.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 LKR 1,424

$2.97 LKR 989

44.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 423

$1.53 LKR 509

-16.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 344

$1.52 LKR 506

-32.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 255

$0.73 LKR 242

5.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 398

$0.58 LKR 194

106.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 151

$0.31 LKR 104

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.38 LKR 3,453

$12.19 LKR 4,054

-14.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.46 LKR 4,475

$18.34 LKR 6,099

-26.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 628

$2.94 LKR 977

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 978

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.06 LKR 1,018

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.44 LKR 146

-9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 102

$0.25 LKR 83.8

24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 305

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 443

$1.24 LKR 412

7.26%

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

$44.1K LKR 14.7M

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

$45.1K LKR 15.0M

0.20%

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

$56.2 LKR 18.7K

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

$4.19 LKR 1,392

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 LKR 6,979

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 LKR 1,507

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

$40.87 LKR 13.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K LKR 5.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.81 LKR 5,922

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 LKR 5,719

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 LKR 26.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.09 LKR 14.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

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

Last update for Hatton: October 31, 2026

Last update for Jaffna: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Hatton

$245 47.9%

Jaffna

–

Eating Out

Hatton

$104 20.3%

Jaffna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hatton

$81 15.9%

Jaffna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Hatton

$70 13.7%

Jaffna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Hatton

$9.1 * 1.8%

Jaffna

–

Getting Around

Hatton

$1.9 * 0.4%

Jaffna

–

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 $25 in Hatton versus $39 in Jaffna. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Hatton vs $169 in Jaffna – so Jaffna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Hatton

🇱🇰 Jaffna

🕒 Local time

10:58 10:58 AM

Same time as Hatton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,200

600,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Hatton Jaffna 320 km

From you

Hatton
Jaffna

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

Hatton vs Jaffna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hatton is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $766 per month in Hatton and $412 in Jaffna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Hatton, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Hatton and $39 in Jaffna. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $511 in Hatton and $275 in Jaffna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Jaffna has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $275 in Jaffna to $511 in Hatton. 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.