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: $639 in Jiaxing versus $590 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,087 in Jiaxing versus $1,125 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,535 in Jiaxing versus $1,660 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Jiaxing is roughly 8% more expensive than in Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jiaxing 52% lower, Hikkaduwa 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 ¥18.81

$4.05 LKR 1,361

-31.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.62 ¥140

$25.51 LKR 8,571

-19.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 ¥32.83

$8.38 LKR 2,816

-42.12%

Cappuccino

$3.15 ¥21.29

$2.65 LKR 890

18.87%

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

$0.42 ¥2.82

$0.72 LKR 243

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ¥1.61

$0.34 LKR 115

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$2.33 LKR 783

-69.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥11.89

$3.32 LKR 1,114

-46.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 ¥15.71

$1.76 LKR 593

31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 ¥13.04

$0.52 LKR 176

271.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.58 ¥3.93

$0.88 LKR 295

-34.09%

Eggs

$1.53 ¥10.37

$2.22 LKR 747

-31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.09 ¥48.01

$14.29 LKR 4,801

-50.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 ¥19.32

$4.78 LKR 1,606

-40.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.18 ¥62.1

$7.87 LKR 2,645

16.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 ¥10.56

$7.42 LKR 2,492

-78.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.33

$0.32 LKR 107

284.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.73

$2.75 LKR 923

-58.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.77

$0.98 LKR 331

17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.04

$1.16 LKR 391

-48.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.36 LKR 120

158.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ¥5.97

$1.18 LKR 397

-25.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.57 LKR 190

7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.01

$10.11 LKR 3,398

-66.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ¥73.5

$12.67 LKR 4,258

-14.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$2.06 LKR 694

-66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ¥9.83

$2.93 LKR 985

-50.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.34 LKR 115

-14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.19 ¥103

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ¥7.40

$0.42 LKR 140

159.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.39

$0.35 LKR 118

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 ¥48.07

$0.60 LKR 203

1083.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.84

$1.26 LKR 422

-7.94%

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

$17.3K ¥116.8K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-36.50%

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

$14.3K ¥96.5K

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-59.53%

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

$34.65 ¥235

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

-43.52%

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

$10.91 ¥73.8

$4.28 LKR 1,438

154.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.75 ¥32.15

$15.20 LKR 5,107

-68.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.89 ¥236

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ¥46.74

Cinema Ticket

$5.50 ¥37.20

$3.26 LKR 1,096

68.71%

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

$406 ¥2,745

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

982.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K ¥80.1K

$440 LKR 147.8K

2591.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.20 ¥292

$27.50 LKR 9,239

57.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.42 ¥226

$19.44 LKR 6,531

71.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 ¥461

$69.8 LKR 23.4K

-2.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 ¥554

$39.04 LKR 13.1K

109.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 ¥1,758

$169 LKR 56.9K

53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ¥1,132

$83.5 LKR 28.1K

100.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 ¥4,828

$1,689 LKR 567.6K

-57.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,775

$497 LKR 167.0K

-17.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,287 ¥29.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,994 ¥13.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$801 ¥5,423

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $260 in Jiaxing and $169 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 $182 vs $238 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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $958 in Jiaxing and $885 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: $260 in Jiaxing versus $169 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 $639 per month in Jiaxing versus $590 in Hikkaduwa – a 8% 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 8% less than in Jiaxing. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.