Cost of Living Comparison Between Hatton and Jaffna Cost of Living Comparison Between Hatton and Jaffna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $506 per month in Hatton vs $496 in Jaffna, rent included.

A couple spends around $820 per month in Hatton vs $782 in Jaffna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,135 per month in Hatton vs $1,067 in Jaffna, rent included.

Hatton costs about 2% more than Jaffna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hatton and Jaffna are more affordable than the global median – Hatton 63% lower, Jaffna 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.31 LKR 1,424

$1.04 LKR 343

314.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.41 LKR 8,731

$39.49 LKR 13.1K

-33.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 LKR 2,523

$4.60 LKR 1,522

65.87%

Cappuccino

$2.46 LKR 813

$3.23 LKR 1,069

-23.84%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$1.69 LKR 558

-59.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.6

$0.52 LKR 173

-48.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 LKR 727

$3.66 LKR 1,209

-39.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,024

$5.96 LKR 1,972

-47.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 537

$0.71 LKR 235

129.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 178

$0.49 LKR 162

10.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 249

$0.60 LKR 199

25.00%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 530

$1.42 LKR 469

12.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 LKR 4,439

$4.59 LKR 1,519

192.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 LKR 1,662

$3.12 LKR 1,033

61.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 LKR 2,379

$6.12 LKR 2,023

17.48%

Apples (1kg)

$6.67 LKR 2,205

$3.74 LKR 1,236

78.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 276

$0.48 LKR 157

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 LKR 1,381

$3.06 LKR 1,010

36.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 429

$1.51 LKR 499

-13.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 348

$1.02 LKR 336

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.64 LKR 212

15.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.62 LKR 206

51.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

$0.39 LKR 130

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 LKR 3,411

$11.56 LKR 3,823

-10.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 LKR 4,487

$18.17 LKR 6,007

-25.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 660

$2.53 LKR 838

-21.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 949

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LKR 95.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.96 LKR 979

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$0.44 LKR 147

-4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.25 LKR 82.9

52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 425

$1.18 LKR 392

9.32%

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

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

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

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

$45.8K LKR 15.2M

-8.65%

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

$56.0 LKR 18.5K

$46.32 LKR 15.3K

20.94%

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

$4.11 LKR 1,358

$2.96 LKR 979

38.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 LKR 7,012

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.25 LKR 2,067

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 LKR 1,489

$1.86 LKR 617

141.94%

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

$37.59 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,227 LKR 405.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.90 LKR 6,579

$36.70 LKR 12.1K

-45.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.94 LKR 5,601

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 LKR 25.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.07 LKR 14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 LKR 49.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 LKR 46.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 LKR 76.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 LKR 65.4K

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 Hatton: September 15, 2026

Last update for Jaffna: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hatton versus $39.00 in Jaffna. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Hatton vs $170 in Jaffna – so Jaffna 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

Hatton vs Jaffna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hatton is pricier by about 2%, 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 $758 per month in Hatton and $744 in Jaffna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Hatton, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hatton and $39.00 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 $506 in Hatton and $496 in Jaffna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Jaffna – 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 Jaffna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hatton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.