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: $640 in Jiaxing versus $515 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,088 in Jiaxing versus $829 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,536 in Jiaxing versus $1,142 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Jiaxing is roughly 24% more expensive than in Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jiaxing 53% lower, Hikkaduwa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 ¥19.67

$4.35 LKR 1,426

-32.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.07 ¥148

$24.55 LKR 8,053

-10.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ¥37.25

$7.49 LKR 2,458

-25.90%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ¥28.13

$2.50 LKR 820

67.60%

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

$0.48 ¥3.22

$0.68 LKR 222

-29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.25 LKR 81.2

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 ¥4.87

$2.31 LKR 756

-68.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥14.69

$3.08 LKR 1,010

-28.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ¥12.49

$1.62 LKR 530

14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 ¥13.36

$0.57 LKR 188

249.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.79 LKR 260

-26.58%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.47

$1.64 LKR 537

13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 ¥50.8

$13.00 LKR 4,264

-41.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.46

$5.04 LKR 1,653

-33.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 ¥50.2

$7.55 LKR 2,476

-0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.84

$6.90 LKR 2,263

-76.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.60

$0.88 LKR 288

28.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.76

$4.28 LKR 1,405

-76.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.72

$1.29 LKR 423

-45.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ¥3.57

$1.04 LKR 342

-49.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.70

$0.81 LKR 267

4.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ¥3.09

$0.95 LKR 311

-51.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.49 LKR 160

18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 ¥35.46

$10.31 LKR 3,382

-48.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 ¥80.6

$13.76 LKR 4,514

-12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥4.73

$1.89 LKR 618

-62.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥9.19

$2.68 LKR 880

-48.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ¥1.41

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.55 ¥111

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ¥7.82

$0.42 LKR 137

178.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.65

$0.37 LKR 122

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ¥48.78

$0.88 LKR 288

726.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.86

$1.31 LKR 431

-10.69%

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

$19.1K ¥128.5K

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

-38.24%

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

$19.0K ¥127.8K

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-54.69%

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

$36.90 ¥248

$52.9 LKR 17.3K

-30.22%

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

$11.71 ¥78.6

$4.30 LKR 1,411

172.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.30 ¥35.57

$20.48 LKR 6,718

-74.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.56 ¥245

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.40 ¥49.69

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 ¥34.29

$4.38 LKR 1,436

16.67%

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

$430 ¥2,886

$37.60 LKR 12.3K

1043.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ¥86.2K

$1,222 LKR 400.8K

951.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.82 ¥234

$20.32 LKR 6,665

71.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.78 ¥146

$16.74 LKR 5,493

30.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 ¥432

$80.6 LKR 26.4K

-20.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.16 ¥296

$42.03 LKR 13.8K

5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ¥1,921

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ¥1,197

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ¥4,969

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 ¥3,031

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,799 ¥25.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,088 ¥14.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$730 ¥4,896

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

12.69

-75.33%

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

Last update for Jiaxing: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $22.00 in Jiaxing vs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $959 in Jiaxing and $773 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.

Shoppers in Jiaxing pay roughly 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $640 per month in Jiaxing versus $515 in Hikkaduwa – a 24% 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 24% less than in Jiaxing. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.