Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $3,050 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $35,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Hong Kong
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Hong Kong Living Index

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Hong Kong

🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)

$3,050

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hong Kong and in Maharagama

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

A single person spends $3,050 per month in Hong Kong vs $131 in Maharagama, rent included.

Hong Kong $3,050
Maharagama $131

A couple spends around $4,786 per month in Hong Kong vs $246 in Maharagama, rent included.

Hong Kong $4,786
Maharagama $246

A family of three spends $6,522 per month in Hong Kong vs $361 in Maharagama, rent included.

Hong Kong $6,522
Maharagama $361

Hong Kong costs about 2233% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Hong Kong sits 126% above the global median, while Maharagama is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.37 HK$65.6

$5.30 LKR 1,761

57.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 HK$497

$20.24 LKR 6,731

213.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 HK$51.2

$6.67 LKR 2,219

-2.10%

Cappuccino

$5.15 HK$40.33

$2.11 LKR 702

144.08%

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

$1.38 HK$10.80

$0.64 LKR 213

115.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 HK$8.86

$0.29 LKR 95.2

289.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.73 HK$60.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 HK$43.62

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 HK$23.01

$0.87 LKR 288

237.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 HK$18.91

$0.23 LKR 76.0

947.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 HK$17.42

$0.50 LKR 167

344.00%

Eggs

$3.41 HK$26.73

$1.42 LKR 473

140.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.18 HK$182

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.67 HK$68.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.90 HK$140

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 HK$33.02

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 HK$20.19

Oranges (1kg)

$4.68 HK$36.68

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 HK$31.33

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 HK$24.98

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 HK$25.60

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 HK$12.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 HK$13.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.33 HK$105

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 HK$122

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 HK$15.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 HK$17.83

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 HK$9.67

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.6 HK$686

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 HK$29.46

$0.44 LKR 146

754.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 HK$10.19

$0.46 LKR 154

182.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.93 HK$125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$4.27 HK$33.48

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

$45.0K HK$352.7K

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

$37.6K HK$294.8K

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

$237 HK$1,859

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

$15.46 HK$121

$4.55 LKR 1,513

239.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.46 HK$176

$13.38 LKR 4,449

67.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.4 HK$764

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.02 HK$70.7

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 HK$102

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

$1,302 HK$10.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K HK$237.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 HK$533

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.80 HK$335

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 HK$637

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 HK$949

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,385 HK$18.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 HK$14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,695 HK$44.6K

$198 LKR 65.9K

2773.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,786 HK$29.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.8K HK$226.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$18.9K HK$147.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,194 HK$25.0K

$240 LKR 79.7K

1233.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

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

Last update for Hong Kong: November 2, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hong Kong

$1.8K 58.8%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Hong Kong

$407 13.3%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hong Kong

$275 9%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Hong Kong

$208 6.8%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Hong Kong

$141 4.6%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Hong Kong

$123 4%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Hong Kong

$103 3.4%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Hong Kong are about 13 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Hong Kong versus $20 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $19 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇰 Hong Kong

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

18:58 6:58 PM

16:28 4:28 PM

2 h 30 min behind Hong Kong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,367,900 Capital

196,400

💱 Currency

Hong Kong Dollar HKD $

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 HKD = 0.128 USD

1 HKD = 0.114 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to HKD – Hong Kong Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇰 Hong Kong Dollar ($)

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 7.84 HKD (1 HKD = 0.128 USD). 1 EUR = 8.8 HKD (1 HKD = 0.114 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to HKD in detail →

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Hong Kong Maharagama 4,050 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

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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

Hong Kong vs Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,050 in Hong Kong, $131 in Maharagama – Maharagama comes out roughly 96% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,576 per month in Hong Kong and $196 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Hong Kong and $20 in Maharagama. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,050 in Hong Kong and $131 in Maharagama. That makes Maharagama about 96% cheaper.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Hong Kong at $3,050. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maharagama costs $131 versus $3,050 in Hong Kong. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.