Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Hikkaduwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $226 a month against $505 in Hikkaduwa, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Hikkaduwa
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Hikkaduwa Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$226

/mo nomad

Hikkaduwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$505

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Hikkaduwa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $226 in Matale versus $505 in Hikkaduwa.

Matale $226
Hikkaduwa $505

Estimated couple costs with rent: $369 in Matale versus $820 in Hikkaduwa.

Matale $369
Hikkaduwa $820

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $512 in Matale versus $1,134 in Hikkaduwa.

Matale $512
Hikkaduwa $1,134

Living in Matale costs roughly 55% less than in Hikkaduwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Matale 83% lower, Hikkaduwa 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 LKR 608

$3.87 LKR 1,287

-52.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.76 LKR 2,914

$25.21 LKR 8,382

-65.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.39 LKR 1,458

$7.67 LKR 2,551

-42.76%

Cappuccino

$2.48 LKR 825

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

$0.45 LKR 151

$0.67 LKR 223

-32.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 LKR 80.3

$0.25 LKR 82.3

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 LKR 814

$2.21 LKR 736

10.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 LKR 590

$3.03 LKR 1,008

-41.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 LKR 484

$1.63 LKR 543

-10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 LKR 141

$0.53 LKR 177

-20.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 226

$0.76 LKR 253

-10.53%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 551

$1.64 LKR 544

1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 LKR 3,262

$13.51 LKR 4,492

-27.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 LKR 1,182

$4.95 LKR 1,647

-28.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 LKR 2,405

$7.25 LKR 2,409

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$6.58 LKR 2,187

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.86 LKR 287

-39.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 LKR 1,496

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 311

$1.27 LKR 423

-25.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 LKR 188

$1.00 LKR 334

-43.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 185

$0.79 LKR 263

-30.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 LKR 289

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 LKR 3,377

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 LKR 4,211

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 545

$1.88 LKR 624

-12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 LKR 1,018

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 124

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 LKR 75.8

$0.38 LKR 125

-39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 LKR 318

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 LKR 383

$1.39 LKR 463

-17.27%

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

$44.4K LKR 14.7M

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

$40.1K LKR 13.3M

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

$58.5 LKR 19.5K

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

$3.67 LKR 1,220

$4.30 LKR 1,428

-14.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.97 LKR 6,972

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 LKR 1,524

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

$37.54 LKR 12.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,195 LKR 397.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.96 LKR 7,965

$17.81 LKR 5,923

34.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.65 LKR 5,534

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$10.52 LKR 3,496

$41.17 LKR 13.7K

-74.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.99 LKR 14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.1 LKR 20.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 LKR 54.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

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

Last update for Matale: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Hikkaduwa

$235 46.6%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Hikkaduwa

$105 20.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Hikkaduwa

$84 16.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Hikkaduwa

$70 13.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Hikkaduwa

$9.2 * 1.8%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Hikkaduwa

$2.3 * 0.5%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Hikkaduwa

- * 0%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $9 in Matale vs $25 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $235 per month, with Matale cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Hikkaduwa

🕒 Local time

07:25 7:25 AM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

101,342

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Matale Hikkaduwa 160 km

From you

Matale
Hikkaduwa

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

Matale vs Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matale is about 55% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $338 in Matale and $757 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in Hikkaduwa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Matale – a meal for two runs $9 versus $25 in Hikkaduwa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Matale 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.