Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaffna and Polonnaruwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaffna: $275 a month against $510 in Polonnaruwa, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Polonnaruwa
Learn more

Polonnaruwa Living Index

Jump to prices

Jaffna

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$275

/mo nomad

Polonnaruwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$510

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jaffna and in Polonnaruwa

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

A single person spends $275 per month in Jaffna vs $510 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Jaffna $275
Polonnaruwa $510

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

Jaffna $515
Polonnaruwa $829

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

Jaffna $756
Polonnaruwa $1,148

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.06 LKR 354

$3.89 LKR 1,294

-72.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 LKR 12.9K

$25.28 LKR 8,410

53.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 LKR 1,478

$7.32 LKR 2,435

-39.34%

Cappuccino

$3.29 LKR 1,093

$2.56 LKR 850

28.52%

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

$1.67 LKR 556

$0.69 LKR 228

142.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.27 LKR 89.8

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 LKR 1,150

$2.17 LKR 721

59.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 LKR 2,033

$2.98 LKR 990

105.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 LKR 220

$1.58 LKR 526

-58.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.54 LKR 178

-14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 LKR 203

$0.81 LKR 269

-24.69%

Eggs

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.70 LKR 567

-32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,540

$15.24 LKR 5,069

-69.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 LKR 982

$4.93 LKR 1,639

-40.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.06 LKR 2,017

$7.66 LKR 2,547

-20.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 LKR 1,172

$6.48 LKR 2,156

-45.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 LKR 196

$0.81 LKR 269

-27.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 LKR 989

$4.25 LKR 1,414

-30.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 LKR 509

$1.27 LKR 423

20.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 LKR 506

$1.04 LKR 345

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 242

$0.77 LKR 255

-5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 LKR 194

$1.26 LKR 419

-53.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.42 LKR 139

-26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.19 LKR 4,055

$10.10 LKR 3,358

20.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 LKR 6,099

$13.57 LKR 4,513

35.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 977

$1.87 LKR 622

57.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 990

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

$0.37 LKR 124

18.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 LKR 83.8

$0.31 LKR 102

-19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 LKR 285

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 412

$1.32 LKR 439

-6.06%

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)

$45.1K LKR 15.0M

$45.5K LKR 15.1M

-1.05%

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

$58.0 LKR 19.3K

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

$4.27 LKR 1,419

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 LKR 6,772

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 LKR 1,532

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

$40.23 LKR 13.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.01 LKR 5,989

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.32 LKR 5,761

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 LKR 26.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.05 LKR 13.7K

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 Polonnaruwa: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jaffna

–

Polonnaruwa

$242 47.5%

Eating Out

Jaffna

–

Polonnaruwa

$104 20.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jaffna

–

Polonnaruwa

$83 16.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Jaffna

–

Polonnaruwa

$70 13.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Jaffna

–

Polonnaruwa

$9.2 * 1.8%

Getting Around

Jaffna

–

Polonnaruwa

$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 Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Jaffna vs $242 in Polonnaruwa – so Jaffna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Jaffna

🇱🇰 Polonnaruwa

🕒 Local time

12:44 12:44 PM

Same time as Jaffna

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

600,000

15,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jaffna Polonnaruwa 220 km

From you

Jaffna
Polonnaruwa

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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $275 in Jaffna, $510 in Polonnaruwa – Jaffna comes out roughly 46% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $412 per month in Jaffna and $765 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Jaffna and $25 in Polonnaruwa. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $275 in Jaffna and $510 in Polonnaruwa. That makes Jaffna about 46% cheaper.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $275 in Jaffna and $510 in Polonnaruwa, 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 $510 in Polonnaruwa. 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.