Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaffna and Hatton

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaffna: $275 a month against $511 in Hatton, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Hatton
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Hatton Living Index

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Jaffna

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$275

/mo nomad

Hatton

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jaffna and in Hatton

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

A single person spends $275 per month in Jaffna vs $511 in Hatton, rent included.

Jaffna $275
Hatton $511

A couple spends around $515 per month in Jaffna vs $829 in Hatton, rent included.

Jaffna $515
Hatton $829

A family of three spends $756 per month in Jaffna vs $1,148 in Hatton, rent included.

Jaffna $756
Hatton $1,148

Jaffna is about 46% cheaper than Hatton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Jaffna and Hatton are more affordable than the global median – Jaffna 80% lower, Hatton 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.06 LKR 354

$3.70 LKR 1,232

-71.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 LKR 12.9K

$24.88 LKR 8,274

56.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 LKR 1,478

$7.42 LKR 2,468

-40.16%

Cappuccino

$3.29 LKR 1,093

$2.56 LKR 851

28.52%

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

$1.67 LKR 556

$0.73 LKR 244

128.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.27 LKR 90.6

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 LKR 1,150

$2.16 LKR 718

60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 LKR 2,033

$3.10 LKR 1,030

97.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 LKR 220

$1.57 LKR 523

-57.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.57 LKR 189

-19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 LKR 203

$0.80 LKR 265

-23.75%

Eggs

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.63 LKR 541

-29.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,540

$15.38 LKR 5,115

-69.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 LKR 982

$5.15 LKR 1,712

-42.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.06 LKR 2,017

$7.42 LKR 2,468

-18.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 LKR 1,172

$6.77 LKR 2,253

-48.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 LKR 196

$0.81 LKR 269

-27.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 LKR 989

$4.28 LKR 1,425

-30.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 LKR 509

$1.27 LKR 423

20.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 LKR 506

$1.03 LKR 344

47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 242

$0.77 LKR 255

-5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 LKR 194

$1.20 LKR 398

-51.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.45 LKR 151

-31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.19 LKR 4,055

$10.38 LKR 3,453

17.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 LKR 6,099

$13.46 LKR 4,476

36.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 977

$1.89 LKR 628

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 978

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.06 LKR 1,018

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 146

$0.40 LKR 134

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 LKR 83.8

$0.31 LKR 102

-19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 305

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 412

$1.33 LKR 443

-6.77%

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

$44.1K LKR 14.7M

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

$45.1K LKR 15.0M

-0.20%

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

$56.2 LKR 18.7K

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

$4.19 LKR 1,393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 LKR 6,980

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 LKR 1,507

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

$40.87 LKR 13.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K LKR 5.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.81 LKR 5,923

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 LKR 5,720

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 LKR 26.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.09 LKR 14.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

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

Last update for Jaffna: November 2, 2026

Last update for Hatton: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jaffna

–

Hatton

$245 47.9%

Eating Out

Jaffna

–

Hatton

$104 20.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jaffna

–

Hatton

$81 15.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Jaffna

–

Hatton

$70 13.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Jaffna

–

Hatton

$9.1 * 1.8%

Getting Around

Jaffna

–

Hatton

$1.9 * 0.4%

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Jaffna versus $25 in Hatton. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Jaffna vs $245 in Hatton – so Jaffna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Jaffna

🇱🇰 Hatton

🕒 Local time

00:02 12:02 AM

Same time as Jaffna

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

600,000

16,200

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Jaffna Hatton 320 km

From you

Jaffna
Hatton

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

Jaffna vs Hatton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hatton is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $412 per month in Jaffna and $766 in Hatton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Hatton, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Jaffna and $25 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 $275 in Jaffna and $511 in Hatton, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Jaffna has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $275 in Jaffna to $511 in Hatton. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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