Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaffna and Hatton Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaffna and Hatton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $496 per month in Jaffna vs $506 in Hatton, rent included.

A couple spends around $782 per month in Jaffna vs $820 in Hatton, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,067 per month in Jaffna vs $1,135 in Hatton, rent included.

Jaffna is about 2% cheaper than Hatton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jaffna and Hatton are more affordable than the global median – Jaffna 64% lower, Hatton 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.04 LKR 343

$4.31 LKR 1,424

-75.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.49 LKR 13.1K

$26.41 LKR 8,731

49.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 LKR 1,522

$7.63 LKR 2,523

-39.71%

Cappuccino

$3.23 LKR 1,069

$2.46 LKR 813

31.30%

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

$1.69 LKR 558

$0.69 LKR 229

144.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.27 LKR 89.6

92.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 LKR 1,209

$2.20 LKR 727

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 LKR 1,972

$3.10 LKR 1,024

92.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 LKR 235

$1.63 LKR 537

-56.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.54 LKR 178

-9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 LKR 199

$0.75 LKR 249

-20.00%

Eggs

$1.42 LKR 469

$1.60 LKR 530

-11.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.59 LKR 1,519

$13.42 LKR 4,439

-65.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 LKR 1,033

$5.03 LKR 1,662

-37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.12 LKR 2,023

$7.19 LKR 2,379

-14.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 LKR 1,236

$6.67 LKR 2,205

-43.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.48 LKR 157

$0.84 LKR 276

-42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 LKR 1,010

$4.18 LKR 1,381

-26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 LKR 499

$1.30 LKR 429

16.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 336

$1.05 LKR 348

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 LKR 212

$0.74 LKR 246

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 LKR 206

$0.94 LKR 310

-34.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 LKR 130

$0.45 LKR 150

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 LKR 3,823

$10.32 LKR 3,411

12.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.17 LKR 6,007

$13.57 LKR 4,487

33.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 LKR 838

$1.99 LKR 660

27.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 949

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LKR 95.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.96 LKR 979

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 147

$0.42 LKR 137

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 LKR 82.9

$0.38 LKR 127

-34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 LKR 392

$1.29 LKR 425

-8.53%

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

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

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

$45.8K LKR 15.2M

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

9.47%

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

$46.32 LKR 15.3K

$56.0 LKR 18.5K

-17.32%

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

$2.96 LKR 979

$4.11 LKR 1,358

-27.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 LKR 7,012

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.25 LKR 2,067

Cinema Ticket

$1.86 LKR 617

$4.50 LKR 1,489

-58.67%

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

$37.59 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,227 LKR 405.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.70 LKR 12.1K

$19.90 LKR 6,579

84.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.94 LKR 5,601

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 LKR 25.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.07 LKR 14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 LKR 49.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 LKR 46.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 LKR 76.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 LKR 65.4K

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 Jaffna: September 12, 2026

Last update for Hatton: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Jaffna versus $26.00 in Hatton. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Jaffna vs $236 in Hatton – so Jaffna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Jaffna vs Hatton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hatton is pricier by about 2%, 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 $744 per month in Jaffna and $758 in Hatton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $39.00 in Jaffna and $26.00 in Hatton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $496 in Jaffna and $506 in Hatton, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Jaffna – 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 Jaffna. 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.