Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiaxing and Hikkaduwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Jiaxing and Hikkaduwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $657 in Jiaxing versus $582 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,095 in Jiaxing versus $1,118 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,533 in Jiaxing versus $1,654 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Jiaxing is roughly 13% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jiaxing 51% lower, Hikkaduwa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.33

$3.97 LKR 1,316

-27.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.78 ¥141

$25.53 LKR 8,466

-18.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 ¥32.85

$8.54 LKR 2,833

-43.09%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥21.61

$2.71 LKR 898

18.08%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.74 LKR 246

-39.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.76

$0.32 LKR 105

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$2.32 LKR 768

-70.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ¥12.08

$3.27 LKR 1,086

-45.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ¥15.83

$1.67 LKR 555

40.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 ¥13.09

$0.55 LKR 184

252.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.53 ¥3.61

$0.83 LKR 275

-36.14%

Eggs

$1.53 ¥10.34

$2.15 LKR 712

-28.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ¥47.26

$13.82 LKR 4,583

-49.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ¥18.54

$4.80 LKR 1,592

-42.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ¥61.0

$8.15 LKR 2,702

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.95

$7.58 LKR 2,515

-78.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.59

$0.32 LKR 106

296.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$2.71 LKR 897

-56.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.68

$0.98 LKR 326

16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ¥4.00

$1.16 LKR 384

-49.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.47

$0.38 LKR 127

152.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.14 LKR 377

-29.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.52 LKR 174

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ¥24.14

$10.00 LKR 3,317

-64.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 ¥74.6

$12.85 LKR 4,262

-14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.63

$2.10 LKR 698

-67.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ¥9.97

$2.93 LKR 971

-49.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.32 LKR 106

-9.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.41 ¥104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$0.38 LKR 126

197.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.57

$0.33 LKR 109

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ¥45.73

$0.58 LKR 192

1065.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$1.19 LKR 396

-5.88%

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

$16.8K ¥113.5K

$26.3K LKR 8.7M

-36.12%

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

$14.5K ¥98.1K

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

-57.79%

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

$34.35 ¥232

$59.9 LKR 19.9K

-42.68%

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

$11.13 ¥75.2

$4.22 LKR 1,400

163.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.76 ¥32.19

$14.89 LKR 4,939

-68.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.36 ¥232

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.14 ¥48.26

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 ¥36.77

$3.26 LKR 1,081

66.87%

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

$401 ¥2,712

$37.16 LKR 12.3K

979.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ¥78.9K

$435 LKR 144.2K

2584.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.33 ¥293

$27.63 LKR 9,160

56.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 ¥221

$19.41 LKR 6,435

68.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 ¥466

$69.3 LKR 23.0K

-0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 ¥558

$38.90 LKR 12.9K

112.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ¥1,808

$165 LKR 54.7K

61.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 ¥1,146

$83.1 LKR 27.5K

103.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 ¥4,805

$1,671 LKR 554.2K

-57.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ¥2,827

$497 LKR 164.8K

-15.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,230 ¥28.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥13.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$825 ¥5,580

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

16.45

-76.47%

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

Last update for Jiaxing: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $267 in Jiaxing and $165 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Jiaxing vs $26.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $237 per month, with Jiaxing cheaper across the board.

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

Jiaxing vs Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $985 in Jiaxing and $872 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $267 in Jiaxing versus $165 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Jiaxing pay roughly 31% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $657 per month in Jiaxing versus $582 in Hikkaduwa – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Hikkaduwa 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.

Expats usually find Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Jiaxing. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.