Cost of Living Comparison Between Hikkaduwa and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Hikkaduwa and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $582 in Hikkaduwa versus $717 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,166 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,654 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,615 in Colombo.

Living in Hikkaduwa costs roughly 19% less than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hikkaduwa 57% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 LKR 1,316

$4.13 LKR 1,369

-3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.53 LKR 8,466

$25.16 LKR 8,344

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 LKR 2,833

$8.20 LKR 2,719

4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 898

$2.66 LKR 882

1.88%

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

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.68 LKR 224

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 105

$0.41 LKR 135

-21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 768

$2.39 LKR 793

-2.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,086

$3.43 LKR 1,136

-4.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 LKR 555

$1.73 LKR 574

-3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$0.53 LKR 175

3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 275

$0.83 LKR 274

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 712

$2.23 LKR 739

-3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 LKR 4,583

$14.02 LKR 4,648

-1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,592

$4.65 LKR 1,543

3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,702

$8.01 LKR 2,657

1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 LKR 2,515

$7.37 LKR 2,444

2.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.12 LKR 371

-71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 LKR 897

$5.83 LKR 1,934

-53.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 326

$1.25 LKR 414

-21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 384

$1.14 LKR 379

1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.42 LKR 470

-73.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 377

$1.14 LKR 379

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.59 LKR 196

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,317

$10.01 LKR 3,321

-0.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,262

$12.73 LKR 4,220

0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 698

$2.11 LKR 699

-0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 971

$2.97 LKR 985

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.14 LKR 48.01

128.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,687

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.38 LKR 128

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.60 LKR 199

-3.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 396

$1.26 LKR 416

-5.56%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.7M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-1.88%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-2.26%

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

$59.9 LKR 19.9K

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

-0.94%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,400

$4.27 LKR 1,416

-1.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 LKR 4,939

$15.34 LKR 5,086

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,358

Cinema Ticket

$3.26 LKR 1,081

$3.28 LKR 1,086

-0.61%

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

$37.16 LKR 12.3K

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

-0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 144.2K

$444 LKR 147.1K

-2.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.63 LKR 9,160

$27.15 LKR 9,002

1.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.41 LKR 6,435

$19.13 LKR 6,344

1.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 23.0K

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

-1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.90 LKR 12.9K

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 LKR 54.7K

$379 LKR 125.7K

-56.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.1 LKR 27.5K

$178 LKR 59.0K

-53.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 LKR 554.2K

$937 LKR 310.7K

78.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 LKR 164.8K

$361 LKR 119.6K

37.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.1K

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 Hikkaduwa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $165 in Hikkaduwa and $379 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Hikkaduwa vs $25.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $257, with Hikkaduwa cheaper for home cooking.

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

Hikkaduwa vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Colombo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hikkaduwa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $872 in Hikkaduwa and $1,076 in Colombo 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $165 in Hikkaduwa versus $379 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.16 in Hikkaduwa versus $37.28 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hikkaduwa – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Hikkaduwa gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hikkaduwa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $582 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hikkaduwa hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.