Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hikkaduwa and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $225 a month against $509 in Hikkaduwa, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Hikkaduwa
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Hikkaduwa Living Index

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Hikkaduwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$509

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$225

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hikkaduwa and in Matale

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $509 in Hikkaduwa versus $225 in Matale.

Hikkaduwa $509
Matale $225

Estimated couple costs with rent: $826 in Hikkaduwa versus $368 in Matale.

Hikkaduwa $826
Matale $368

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,144 in Hikkaduwa versus $510 in Matale.

Hikkaduwa $1,144
Matale $510

Living in Hikkaduwa is roughly 126% more expensive than in Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hikkaduwa 62% lower, Matale 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 LKR 1,475

$1.83 LKR 605

143.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 LKR 8,146

$9.11 LKR 3,019

169.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 LKR 2,508

$4.45 LKR 1,474

70.11%

Cappuccino

$2.50 LKR 828

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

$0.72 LKR 238

$0.46 LKR 152

56.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.1

$0.22 LKR 72.5

22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LKR 716

$2.35 LKR 778

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 LKR 998

$1.82 LKR 604

65.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 520

$1.39 LKR 462

12.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$0.42 LKR 140

26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 266

$0.66 LKR 220

21.21%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 530

$1.61 LKR 533

-0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 LKR 4,637

$9.41 LKR 3,118

48.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 LKR 1,618

$3.55 LKR 1,176

37.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,406

$7.41 LKR 2,455

-2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 LKR 2,265

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 281

$0.54 LKR 179

57.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 LKR 1,479

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 406

$0.95 LKR 314

29.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 339

$0.56 LKR 184

82.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 270

$0.57 LKR 187

43.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 LKR 306

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 LKR 145

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 LKR 3,419

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 LKR 4,537

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 625

$1.58 LKR 524

19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 LKR 998

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.23 LKR 75.8

60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 293

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 441

$1.12 LKR 372

18.75%

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

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

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

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

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

$54.8 LKR 18.2K

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

$4.14 LKR 1,371

$3.88 LKR 1,284

6.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.01 LKR 6,960

Cinema Ticket

$4.45 LKR 1,475

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

$37.63 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,227 LKR 406.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.35 LKR 6,078

$24.04 LKR 7,961

-23.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.80 LKR 5,565

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 LKR 25.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.92 LKR 14.2K

$10.48 LKR 3,472

309.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$44.56 LKR 14.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.6 LKR 20.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 LKR 53.9K

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 Hikkaduwa: October 12, 2026

Last update for Matale: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Hikkaduwa

$239 46.9%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Hikkaduwa

$109 21.4%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hikkaduwa

$80 15.7%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Hikkaduwa

$70 13.8%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Hikkaduwa

$8.9 * 1.8%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Hikkaduwa

$2.2 * 0.4%

Matale

–

Accommodation & Living

Hikkaduwa

- * 0%

Matale

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Hikkaduwa vs $9.00 in Matale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $114 per month, with Matale cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Hikkaduwa

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

21:47 9:47 PM

Same time as Hikkaduwa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

101,342

40,800

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Hikkaduwa Matale 160 km

From you

Hikkaduwa
Matale

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

Hikkaduwa vs Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matale is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $763 in Hikkaduwa and $338 in Matale 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Hikkaduwa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Matale – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $25.00 in Hikkaduwa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Matale gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hikkaduwa and Matale are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Matale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Hikkaduwa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.