Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalutara and Jaffna

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaffna: $275 a month against $612 in Kalutara, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Kalutara
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Kalutara Living Index

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Kalutara

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$612

/mo nomad

Jaffna

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$275

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kalutara and in Jaffna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kalutara and in Jaffna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $612 per month in Kalutara vs $275 in Jaffna, rent included.

Kalutara $612
Jaffna $275

A couple spends around $896 per month in Kalutara vs $515 in Jaffna, rent included.

Kalutara $896
Jaffna $515

A family of three spends $1,179 per month in Kalutara vs $756 in Jaffna, rent included.

Kalutara $1,179
Jaffna $756

Kalutara costs about 123% more than Jaffna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kalutara and Jaffna are more affordable than the global median – Kalutara 55% lower, Jaffna 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 LKR 1,285

$1.06 LKR 354

264.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.82 LKR 8,252

$38.86 LKR 12.9K

-36.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 LKR 2,453

$4.44 LKR 1,478

66.22%

Cappuccino

$2.43 LKR 807

$3.29 LKR 1,093

-26.14%

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

$0.68 LKR 228

$1.67 LKR 556

-59.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.5

$0.49 LKR 162

-48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 752

$3.46 LKR 1,150

-34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 991

$6.11 LKR 2,032

-51.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 537

$0.66 LKR 220

145.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 179

$0.46 LKR 152

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 249

$0.61 LKR 203

22.95%

Eggs

$1.68 LKR 560

$1.15 LKR 382

46.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 LKR 4,994

$4.63 LKR 1,539

224.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 LKR 1,655

$2.95 LKR 981

68.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 LKR 2,485

$6.06 LKR 2,016

23.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.67 LKR 2,216

$3.52 LKR 1,171

89.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 290

$0.59 LKR 196

47.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 LKR 1,363

$2.97 LKR 989

38.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 LKR 441

$1.53 LKR 509

-13.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 358

$1.52 LKR 506

-28.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 279

$0.73 LKR 242

15.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 LKR 402

$0.58 LKR 194

108.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.31 LKR 104

48.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 LKR 3,460

$12.19 LKR 4,053

-14.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.48 LKR 4,483

$18.34 LKR 6,097

-26.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 LKR 649

$2.94 LKR 977

-33.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 980

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 LKR 44.22

$0.31 LKR 104

-58.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.00 LKR 2,993

$3.06 LKR 1,018

194.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.44 LKR 146

-15.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 LKR 58.6

$0.25 LKR 83.8

-28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 313

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 LKR 459

$1.24 LKR 412

11.29%

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)

$44.8K LKR 14.9M

$45.1K LKR 15.0M

-0.54%

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

$56.8 LKR 18.9K

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

$4.19 LKR 1,393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.12 LKR 7,023

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.19 LKR 3,056

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 LKR 1,533

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

$40.52 LKR 13.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K LKR 5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.99 LKR 5,980

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.26 LKR 5,740

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 LKR 25.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.87 LKR 13.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.5 LKR 28.4K

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 Kalutara: November 2, 2026

Last update for Jaffna: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kalutara

$243 39.7%

Jaffna

–

Eating Out

Kalutara

$103 16.9%

Jaffna

–

Accommodation & Living

Kalutara

$86 14%

Jaffna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kalutara

$82 13.4%

Jaffna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Kalutara

$69 11.3%

Jaffna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Kalutara

$18 3%

Jaffna

–

Getting Around

Kalutara

$11 1.8%

Jaffna

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Kalutara versus $39 in Jaffna. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Kalutara vs $169 in Jaffna – so Jaffna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Kalutara

🇱🇰 Jaffna

🕒 Local time

04:47 4:47 AM

Same time as Kalutara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

39,600

600,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kalutara Jaffna 340 km

From you

Kalutara
Jaffna

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

Kalutara vs Jaffna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $612 in Kalutara, $275 in Jaffna – Jaffna comes out roughly 55% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $919 per month in Kalutara and $412 in Jaffna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Jaffna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Kalutara, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $612 in Kalutara and $275 in Jaffna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kalutara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $275 in Jaffna to $612 in Kalutara. 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.