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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Hatton vs $232 in Matale, rent included.

A couple spends around $866 per month in Hatton vs $373 in Matale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Hatton vs $514 in Matale, rent included.

Hatton costs about 128% more than Matale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hatton and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Hatton 61% lower, Matale 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 LKR 1,320

$1.30 LKR 435

204.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,425

$10.12 LKR 3,376

149.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 LKR 2,812

$4.94 LKR 1,646

70.65%

Cappuccino

$2.72 LKR 908

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

$0.70 LKR 232

$0.53 LKR 176

32.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.28 LKR 93.6

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 767

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,111

$1.97 LKR 656

69.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 597

$1.30 LKR 434

37.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.50 LKR 168

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 288

$0.62 LKR 207

38.71%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 732

$2.42 LKR 809

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 LKR 4,655

$10.55 LKR 3,518

32.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,518

$4.05 LKR 1,352

12.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 LKR 2,638

$7.95 LKR 2,653

-0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,520

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 374

$0.47 LKR 155

138.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,972

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 421

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 385

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 456

$0.45 LKR 150

204.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 397

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 197

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 LKR 3,307

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 4,158

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 LKR 670

$1.74 LKR 582

15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 945

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.26 LKR 86.3

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 193

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 403

$1.24 LKR 413

-2.42%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

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

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

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

$59.5 LKR 19.8K

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

$4.31 LKR 1,436

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.17 LKR 5,059

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,149

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

$36.88 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$434 LKR 144.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.77 LKR 9,262

$26.57 LKR 8,862

4.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 LKR 6,515

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 LKR 23.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.32 LKR 12.8K

$11.83 LKR 3,947

223.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.2 LKR 20.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.2 LKR 27.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$160 LKR 53.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

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

Last update for Hatton: June 7, 2026

Last update for Matale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Hatton versus $10.00 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $118 – 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 128%, 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 $794 per month in Hatton and $349 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 117% 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 $25.00 in Hatton and $10.00 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 $529 in Hatton and $232 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.