Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaffna and Kandy

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaffna: $484 a month against $513 in Kandy, rent and utilities included – about $350 less a year. The total is higher in Kandy despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Kandy
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Kandy Living Index

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Jaffna

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$484

/mo nomad

Kandy

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$513

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jaffna and in Kandy

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

A single person spends $484 per month in Jaffna vs $513 in Kandy, rent included.

Jaffna $484
Kandy $513

A couple spends around $774 per month in Jaffna vs $728 in Kandy, rent included.

Jaffna $774
Kandy $728

A family of three spends $1,063 per month in Jaffna vs $943 in Kandy, rent included.

Jaffna $1,063
Kandy $943

Jaffna is about 6% cheaper than Kandy, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Jaffna and Kandy are more affordable than the global median – Jaffna 64% lower, Kandy 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.03 LKR 342

$2.66 LKR 885

-61.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.37 LKR 13.4K

$13.01 LKR 4,324

210.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 LKR 1,533

$6.00 LKR 1,996

-23.17%

Cappuccino

$3.21 LKR 1,067

$1.90 LKR 632

68.95%

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

$1.66 LKR 552

$0.52 LKR 174

219.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.26 LKR 87.1

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 LKR 1,195

$1.86 LKR 620

93.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 LKR 2,009

$2.80 LKR 931

115.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 LKR 236

$1.15 LKR 382

-38.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.52 LKR 174

-11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 LKR 212

$0.77 LKR 255

-16.88%

Eggs

$1.35 LKR 448

$1.71 LKR 568

-21.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 LKR 1,466

$5.14 LKR 1,708

-14.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 LKR 1,057

$4.25 LKR 1,412

-25.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 LKR 2,026

$6.87 LKR 2,285

-11.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 LKR 1,217

$3.14 LKR 1,043

16.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.84 LKR 280

-44.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 LKR 978

$1.73 LKR 574

69.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 LKR 489

$1.29 LKR 429

13.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 323

$1.02 LKR 339

-4.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 205

$0.83 LKR 277

-25.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 LKR 193

$0.43 LKR 144

34.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 LKR 131

$0.42 LKR 140

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 LKR 3,787

$8.02 LKR 2,668

42.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.40 LKR 6,116

$11.28 LKR 3,751

63.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 LKR 826

$1.93 LKR 643

28.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 691

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LKR 95.8

$0.16 LKR 53.3

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.08 LKR 1,023

$4.38 LKR 1,457

-29.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.41 LKR 136

14.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 LKR 83.4

$0.35 LKR 116

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 LKR 433

$1.15 LKR 383

13.04%

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

$14.0K LKR 4.6M

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

$44.8K LKR 14.9M

$36.7K LKR 12.2M

21.85%

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

$45.31 LKR 15.1K

$59.0 LKR 19.6K

-23.22%

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

$2.94 LKR 977

$3.86 LKR 1,282

-23.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.72 LKR 4,227

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.85 LKR 1,946

$10.85 LKR 3,606

-46.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 LKR 2,262

Cinema Ticket

$1.78 LKR 593

$2.74 LKR 909

-35.04%

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

$21.65 LKR 7,199

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$304 LKR 101.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.45 LKR 12.1K

$18.28 LKR 6,078

99.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.15 LKR 3,375

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 LKR 22.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.56 LKR 8,831

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 LKR 49.8K

$172 LKR 57.2K

-12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 LKR 45.7K

$113 LKR 37.5K

21.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 LKR 73.8K

$172 LKR 57.2K

28.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 LKR 65.1K

$93.6 LKR 31.1K

109.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$397 LKR 131.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$400 LKR 133.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 LKR 86.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Jaffna: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kandy: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jaffna

–

Kandy

$166 32.3%

Accommodation & Living

Jaffna

–

Kandy

$113 22%

Eating Out

Jaffna

–

Kandy

$80 15.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jaffna

–

Kandy

$76 14.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Jaffna

–

Kandy

$55 10.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Jaffna

–

Kandy

$16 3.2%

Getting Around

Jaffna

–

Kandy

$7.2 1.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $150 in Jaffna versus $172 in Kandy. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Jaffna versus $13 in Kandy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $166 – making Kandy the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Jaffna

🇱🇰 Kandy

🕒 Local time

02:48 2:48 AM

Same time as Jaffna

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

600,000

125,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jaffna Kandy 270 km

From you

Jaffna
Kandy

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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $484 in Jaffna, $513 in Kandy – Jaffna comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $727 per month in Jaffna and $770 in Kandy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaffna, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $150 there versus $172 in Kandy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Jaffna and $13 in Kandy. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $484 in Jaffna and $513 in Kandy. That makes Jaffna about 6% cheaper.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $484 in Jaffna and $513 in Kandy, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kandy has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $484 in Jaffna to $513 in Kandy. 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.