Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaffna and Hikkaduwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaffna: $484 a month against $505 in Hikkaduwa, rent and utilities included – about $250 less a year. The total is higher in Hikkaduwa despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Hikkaduwa
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Hikkaduwa Living Index

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Jaffna

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$484

/mo nomad

Hikkaduwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$505

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jaffna and in Hikkaduwa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Jaffna versus $505 in Hikkaduwa.

Jaffna $484
Hikkaduwa $505

Estimated couple costs with rent: $774 in Jaffna versus $820 in Hikkaduwa.

Jaffna $774
Hikkaduwa $820

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,063 in Jaffna versus $1,134 in Hikkaduwa.

Jaffna $1,063
Hikkaduwa $1,134

Living in Jaffna costs roughly 4% less than in Hikkaduwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jaffna 64% lower, Hikkaduwa 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.03 LKR 342

$3.87 LKR 1,287

-73.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.37 LKR 13.4K

$25.21 LKR 8,384

60.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 LKR 1,533

$7.67 LKR 2,551

-39.90%

Cappuccino

$3.21 LKR 1,068

$2.48 LKR 826

29.44%

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

$1.66 LKR 552

$0.67 LKR 223

147.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.25 LKR 82.3

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 LKR 1,195

$2.21 LKR 736

62.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 LKR 2,010

$3.03 LKR 1,008

99.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 LKR 236

$1.63 LKR 543

-56.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.53 LKR 177

-13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 LKR 212

$0.76 LKR 253

-15.79%

Eggs

$1.35 LKR 448

$1.64 LKR 544

-17.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 LKR 1,467

$13.51 LKR 4,493

-67.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 LKR 1,058

$4.95 LKR 1,648

-35.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 LKR 2,027

$7.25 LKR 2,410

-16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 LKR 1,218

$6.58 LKR 2,188

-44.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.86 LKR 287

-45.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 LKR 978

$4.50 LKR 1,497

-34.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 LKR 489

$1.27 LKR 423

15.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 323

$1.00 LKR 334

-3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 205

$0.79 LKR 263

-21.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 LKR 193

$0.87 LKR 289

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 LKR 131

$0.46 LKR 152

-15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 LKR 3,788

$10.16 LKR 3,378

12.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.40 LKR 6,118

$12.67 LKR 4,212

45.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 LKR 826

$1.88 LKR 624

31.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 LKR 1,019

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LKR 95.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.08 LKR 1,024

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.37 LKR 124

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 LKR 83.4

$0.38 LKR 125

-34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 LKR 318

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 LKR 433

$1.39 LKR 463

-6.47%

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

$44.4K LKR 14.8M

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

$44.8K LKR 14.9M

$40.1K LKR 13.3M

11.66%

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

$45.31 LKR 15.1K

$58.5 LKR 19.5K

-22.60%

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

$2.94 LKR 977

$4.30 LKR 1,428

-31.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.97 LKR 6,974

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.85 LKR 1,947

Cinema Ticket

$1.78 LKR 593

$4.58 LKR 1,525

-61.14%

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

$37.54 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,195 LKR 397.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.45 LKR 12.1K

$17.81 LKR 5,924

104.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.65 LKR 5,536

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.17 LKR 13.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 LKR 49.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 LKR 45.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 LKR 73.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 LKR 65.1K

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jaffna

–

Hikkaduwa

$235 46.6%

Eating Out

Jaffna

–

Hikkaduwa

$105 20.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jaffna

–

Hikkaduwa

$84 16.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Jaffna

–

Hikkaduwa

$70 13.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Jaffna

–

Hikkaduwa

$9.2 * 1.8%

Getting Around

Jaffna

–

Hikkaduwa

$2.3 * 0.5%

Accommodation & Living

Jaffna

–

Hikkaduwa

- * 0%

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $40 in Jaffna vs $25 in Hikkaduwa. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $235, with Jaffna cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Jaffna

🇱🇰 Hikkaduwa

🕒 Local time

01:49 1:49 AM

Same time as Jaffna

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

600,000

101,342

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Jaffna Hikkaduwa 390 km

From you

Jaffna
Hikkaduwa

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 Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaffna is about 4% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $727 in Jaffna and $757 in Hikkaduwa 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 40% higher in Hikkaduwa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hikkaduwa – a meal for two runs $25 versus $40 in Jaffna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Jaffna 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.