Cost of Living Comparison Between Hatton and Matale Cost of Living Comparison Between Hatton and Matale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $506 per month in Hatton vs $226 in Matale, rent included.

A couple spends around $820 per month in Hatton vs $373 in Matale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,135 per month in Hatton vs $520 in Matale, rent included.

Hatton costs about 124% more than Matale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hatton and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Hatton 63% lower, Matale 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.31 LKR 1,424

$1.84 LKR 607

134.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.41 LKR 8,731

$8.90 LKR 2,942

196.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 LKR 2,523

$4.45 LKR 1,470

71.46%

Cappuccino

$2.46 LKR 813

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.50 LKR 166

38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.6

$0.24 LKR 79.6

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 LKR 727

$2.41 LKR 796

-8.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,024

$1.80 LKR 595

72.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 537

$1.48 LKR 490

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 178

$0.46 LKR 153

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 249

$0.62 LKR 206

20.97%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 530

$1.68 LKR 555

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 LKR 4,439

$9.92 LKR 3,280

35.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 LKR 1,662

$3.69 LKR 1,219

36.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 LKR 2,379

$7.12 LKR 2,353

0.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.67 LKR 2,205

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 276

$0.51 LKR 169

64.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 LKR 1,381

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 429

$0.92 LKR 306

41.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 348

$0.57 LKR 188

84.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.58 LKR 190

27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 LKR 3,411

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 LKR 4,487

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 660

$1.66 LKR 548

19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 949

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.25 LKR 83.0

52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 425

$1.18 LKR 390

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

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

$56.0 LKR 18.5K

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

$4.11 LKR 1,358

$3.77 LKR 1,246

9.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 LKR 7,012

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 LKR 1,489

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

$24.00 LKR 7,937

-17.08%

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

$10.43 LKR 3,450

312.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$44.68 LKR 14.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.5 LKR 20.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 LKR 54.2K

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 Matale: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hatton versus $9.00 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $117 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hatton is pricier by about 124%, 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 $339 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 102% 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 $9.00 in Matale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $506 in Hatton and $226 in Matale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Matale – 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 Matale. 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.