Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaffna and Negombo

For one person, living is cheaper in Negombo: $396 a month against $484 in Jaffna, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Jaffna outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

19

Cost of Living Index in Negombo
Learn more

Negombo Living Index

Jump to prices

Jaffna

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$484

/mo nomad

Negombo

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$396

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jaffna and in Negombo

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

A single person spends $484 per month in Jaffna vs $396 in Negombo, rent included.

Jaffna $484
Negombo $396

A couple spends around $774 per month in Jaffna vs $639 in Negombo, rent included.

Jaffna $774
Negombo $639

A family of three spends $1,063 per month in Jaffna vs $883 in Negombo, rent included.

Jaffna $1,063
Negombo $883

Jaffna costs about 22% more than Negombo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Jaffna and Negombo are more affordable than the global median – Jaffna 64% lower, Negombo 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.03 LKR 342

$3.74 LKR 1,245

-72.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.37 LKR 13.4K

$16.39 LKR 5,451

146.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 LKR 1,533

$7.40 LKR 2,462

-37.70%

Cappuccino

$3.21 LKR 1,068

$1.28 LKR 427

150.78%

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

$1.66 LKR 552

$0.73 LKR 242

127.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.27 LKR 90.0

77.78%

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

$3.04 LKR 1,012

98.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 LKR 236

$1.56 LKR 520

-54.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.56 LKR 187

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 LKR 212

$0.75 LKR 251

-14.67%

Eggs

$1.35 LKR 448

$1.63 LKR 543

-17.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 LKR 1,467

$13.51 LKR 4,494

-67.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 LKR 1,058

$4.34 LKR 1,442

-26.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 LKR 2,027

$6.09 LKR 2,026

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 LKR 1,218

$1.78 LKR 590

105.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 LKR 156

$0.67 LKR 224

-29.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 LKR 978

$2.30 LKR 766

27.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 LKR 489

$1.16 LKR 385

26.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 323

$0.79 LKR 264

22.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 LKR 205

$0.83 LKR 277

-25.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 LKR 193

$0.95 LKR 316

-38.95%

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

$10.19 LKR 3,390

11.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.40 LKR 6,118

$13.06 LKR 4,343

40.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 LKR 826

$1.95 LKR 650

27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 LKR 972

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LKR 95.9

$0.31 LKR 104

-6.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.08 LKR 1,024

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.38 LKR 125

23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 LKR 83.4

$0.35 LKR 115

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LKR 298

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 LKR 433

$1.02 LKR 339

27.45%

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

$43.3K LKR 14.4M

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

$44.8K LKR 14.9M

$39.9K LKR 13.3M

12.34%

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

$45.31 LKR 15.1K

$25.79 LKR 8,576

75.69%

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

$2.94 LKR 977

$4.22 LKR 1,403

-30.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.43 LKR 6,795

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.85 LKR 1,947

$15.34 LKR 5,100

-61.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.00 LKR 2,994

Cinema Ticket

$1.78 LKR 593

$2.46 LKR 817

-27.64%

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

$37.18 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$458 LKR 152.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.45 LKR 12.1K

$9.13 LKR 3,037

299.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.32 LKR 5,427

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.70 LKR 11.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.49 LKR 8,143

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 LKR 59.1K

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 Negombo: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jaffna

–

Negombo

$194 49.1%

Eating Out

Jaffna

–

Negombo

$89 22.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jaffna

–

Negombo

$50 12.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Jaffna

–

Negombo

$39 9.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Jaffna

–

Negombo

$20 5.1%

Getting Around

Jaffna

–

Negombo

$3.4 * 0.9%

Accommodation & Living

Jaffna

–

Negombo

- * 0%

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 $40 in Jaffna versus $16 in Negombo. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Jaffna vs $194 in Negombo – so Jaffna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Jaffna

🇱🇰 Negombo

🕒 Local time

10:00 10:00 AM

Same time as Jaffna

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

600,000

142,449

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jaffna Negombo 270 km

From you

Jaffna
Negombo

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 Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $484 in Jaffna, $396 in Negombo – Negombo comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $727 per month in Jaffna and $593 in Negombo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Jaffna and $16 in Negombo. 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 $396 in Negombo. That makes Negombo about 18% cheaper.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $484 in Jaffna and $396 in Negombo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Negombo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $396 in Negombo to $484 in Jaffna. 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.