Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Negombo and Jaffna

For one person, living is cheaper in Negombo: $396 a month against $484 in Jaffna, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Jaffna outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Negombo
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Negombo Living Index

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Negombo

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$396

/mo nomad

Jaffna

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$484

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Negombo 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 Negombo and in Jaffna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $396 per month in Negombo vs $484 in Jaffna, rent included.

Negombo $396
Jaffna $484

A couple spends around $639 per month in Negombo vs $774 in Jaffna, rent included.

Negombo $639
Jaffna $774

A family of three spends $883 per month in Negombo vs $1,063 in Jaffna, rent included.

Negombo $883
Jaffna $1,063

Negombo is about 18% cheaper than Jaffna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Negombo and Jaffna are more affordable than the global median – Negombo 71% lower, Jaffna 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 LKR 1,245

$1.03 LKR 342

263.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.39 LKR 5,451

$40.37 LKR 13.4K

-59.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 LKR 2,462

$4.61 LKR 1,533

60.52%

Cappuccino

$1.28 LKR 427

$3.21 LKR 1,068

-60.12%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$1.66 LKR 552

-56.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.0

$0.48 LKR 161

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 LKR 736

$3.59 LKR 1,195

-38.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 LKR 1,012

$6.04 LKR 2,010

-49.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 520

$0.71 LKR 236

119.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.46 LKR 152

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 251

$0.64 LKR 212

17.19%

Eggs

$1.63 LKR 543

$1.35 LKR 448

20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.51 LKR 4,494

$4.41 LKR 1,467

206.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 LKR 1,442

$3.18 LKR 1,058

36.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 LKR 2,026

$6.09 LKR 2,027

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 LKR 590

$3.66 LKR 1,218

-51.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 224

$0.47 LKR 156

42.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 LKR 766

$2.94 LKR 978

-21.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 385

$1.47 LKR 489

-21.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 264

$0.97 LKR 323

-18.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 277

$0.62 LKR 205

33.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 316

$0.58 LKR 193

63.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.39 LKR 131

17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 LKR 3,390

$11.39 LKR 3,788

-10.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 LKR 4,343

$18.40 LKR 6,118

-29.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 LKR 650

$2.48 LKR 826

-21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 LKR 972

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.29 LKR 95.9

6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.08 LKR 1,024

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.47 LKR 157

-19.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.25 LKR 83.4

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LKR 298

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 LKR 339

$1.30 LKR 433

-21.54%

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

$43.3K LKR 14.4M

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

$39.9K LKR 13.3M

$44.8K LKR 14.9M

-10.99%

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

$25.79 LKR 8,576

$45.31 LKR 15.1K

-43.08%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,403

$2.94 LKR 977

43.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.43 LKR 6,795

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.34 LKR 5,100

$5.85 LKR 1,947

162.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.00 LKR 2,994

Cinema Ticket

$2.46 LKR 817

$1.78 LKR 593

38.20%

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

$37.18 LKR 12.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$458 LKR 152.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.13 LKR 3,037

$36.45 LKR 12.1K

-74.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.32 LKR 5,427

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.70 LKR 11.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.49 LKR 8,143

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 LKR 49.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 LKR 45.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 LKR 73.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 LKR 65.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 LKR 59.1K

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 Negombo: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jaffna: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Negombo

$194 49.1%

Jaffna

–

Eating Out

Negombo

$89 22.4%

Jaffna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Negombo

$50 12.8%

Jaffna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Negombo

$39 9.7%

Jaffna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Negombo

$20 5.1%

Jaffna

–

Getting Around

Negombo

$3.4 * 0.9%

Jaffna

–

Accommodation & Living

Negombo

- * 0%

Jaffna

–

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Negombo versus $40 in Jaffna. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Negombo vs $168 in Jaffna – so Jaffna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Negombo

🇱🇰 Jaffna

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

Same time as Negombo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

142,449

600,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Negombo Jaffna 270 km

From you

Negombo
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

Negombo vs Jaffna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $396 in Negombo, $484 in Jaffna – Negombo comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $593 per month in Negombo and $727 in Jaffna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Negombo and $40 in Jaffna. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $396 in Negombo and $484 in Jaffna. That makes Negombo about 18% cheaper.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $396 in Negombo and $484 in Jaffna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Negombo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $396 in Negombo to $484 in Jaffna. 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.