Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hikkaduwa and Sungai Petani

For one person, living is cheaper in Hikkaduwa: $509 a month against $806 in Sungai Petani, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Hikkaduwa
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Hikkaduwa Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Sungai Petani
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Sungai Petani Living Index

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Hikkaduwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$509

/mo nomad

Sungai Petani

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$806

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hikkaduwa and in Sungai Petani

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 Sungai Petani actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $509 in Hikkaduwa versus $806 in Sungai Petani.

Hikkaduwa $509
Sungai Petani $806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $826 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,201 in Sungai Petani.

Hikkaduwa $826
Sungai Petani $1,201

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,144 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,596 in Sungai Petani.

Hikkaduwa $1,144
Sungai Petani $1,596

Living in Hikkaduwa costs roughly 37% less than in Sungai Petani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hikkaduwa 62% lower, Sungai Petani 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 LKR 1,475

$2.43 MYR 9.93

83.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.59 LKR 8,146

$16.94 MYR 69.1

45.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 LKR 2,508

$4.28 MYR 17.46

76.87%

Cappuccino

$2.50 LKR 828

$2.50 MYR 10.20

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

$0.72 LKR 238

$0.73 MYR 2.96

-1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.1

$0.38 MYR 1.56

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LKR 716

$3.67 MYR 14.99

-41.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 LKR 998

$4.46 MYR 18.18

-32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 520

$1.84 MYR 7.52

-14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.05 MYR 4.26

-49.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 266

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-52.94%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 530

$2.21 MYR 9.00

-27.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 LKR 4,637

$9.55 MYR 38.96

46.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 LKR 1,618

$4.42 MYR 18.04

10.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,406

$8.60 MYR 35.07

-15.58%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 LKR 2,265

$3.04 MYR 12.42

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 281

$1.63 MYR 6.66

-47.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 LKR 1,479

$2.62 MYR 10.68

70.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 406

$1.42 MYR 5.78

-13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 339

$1.06 MYR 4.34

-3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 270

$1.07 MYR 4.36

-23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 LKR 306

$1.08 MYR 4.41

-14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 LKR 145

$0.57 MYR 2.33

-22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 LKR 3,419

$4.30 MYR 17.54

140.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 LKR 4,537

$19.13 MYR 78.0

-28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 625

$2.93 MYR 11.95

-35.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 LKR 998

$5.34 MYR 21.78

-43.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MYR 3.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.48 MYR 50.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-77.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.41 MYR 1.66

-9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 293

$7.38 MYR 30.13

-88.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 441

$0.48 MYR 1.95

177.08%

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

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

$42.1K MYR 171.8K

-10.34%

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

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

$35.8K MYR 146.1K

14.20%

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

$54.8 LKR 18.2K

$37.72 MYR 154

45.33%

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

$4.14 LKR 1,371

$9.73 MYR 39.71

-57.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.01 LKR 6,960

$19.90 MYR 81.2

5.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.69 MYR 101

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.83 MYR 60.5

Cinema Ticket

$4.45 LKR 1,475

$2.88 MYR 11.77

54.51%

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

$37.63 LKR 12.5K

$418 MYR 1,704

-90.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,227 LKR 406.4K

$10.8K MYR 44.1K

-88.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.35 LKR 6,078

$58.8 MYR 240

-68.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.80 LKR 5,565

$35.57 MYR 145

-52.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 LKR 25.7K

$73.9 MYR 302

4.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.92 LKR 14.2K

$69.7 MYR 284

-38.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 MYR 760

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 MYR 995

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,015

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MYR 1,488

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,236 MYR 5,042

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$480 MYR 1,958

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 MYR 2,008

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

4.04

214.11%

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

Last update for Hikkaduwa: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sungai Petani: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Hikkaduwa

$239 46.9%

Sungai Petani

$244 30.2% 2.1% $5.1

Eating Out

Hikkaduwa

$109 21.4%

Sungai Petani

$94 11.7% 13.8% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hikkaduwa

$80 15.7%

Sungai Petani

$67 8.4% 15.8% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Hikkaduwa

$70 13.8%

Sungai Petani

$107 13.3% 52.9% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Hikkaduwa

$8.9 * 1.8%

Sungai Petani

$30 3.8% 242% $22

Getting Around

Hikkaduwa

$2.2 * 0.4%

Sungai Petani

$19 2.4% 756% $17

Accommodation & Living

Hikkaduwa

- * 0%

Sungai Petani

$244 30.3%

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 $17.00 in Sungai Petani. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $244, with Hikkaduwa cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Hikkaduwa

🇲🇾 Sungai Petani

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

20:37 8:37 PM

2 h 30 min ahead of Hikkaduwa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

101,342

545,053

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Hikkaduwa Sungai Petani 2,260 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Hikkaduwa
Sungai Petani

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 Sungai Petani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $763 in Hikkaduwa and $1,209 in Sungai Petani 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 2% higher in Sungai Petani. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $509 per month in Hikkaduwa versus $806 in Sungai Petani – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 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 Sungai Petani 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 Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Sungai Petani. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.