Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Badulla: $547 a month against $1,187 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Badulla, Sri Lanka
Bali, Indonesia
Badulla
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$547
/mo nomad
Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,187
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Badulla and in Bali

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $547 in Badulla versus $1,187 in Bali.

  • Badulla $547
  • Bali $1,187

Estimated couple costs with rent: $883 in Badulla versus $2,004 in Bali.

  • Badulla $883
  • Bali $2,004

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,219 in Badulla versus $2,822 in Bali.

  • Badulla $1,219
  • Bali $2,822

Living in Badulla costs roughly 54% less than in Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Badulla 60% lower, Bali 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Badulla
Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.84 LKR 1,275
$2.80 Rp 50.6K
37.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.93 LKR 8,288
$28.85 Rp 520.8K
-13.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 LKR 2,506
$4.76 Rp 86.0K
58.40%
Cappuccino
$2.47 LKR 823
$2.23 Rp 40.3K
10.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 LKR 227
$1.30 Rp 23.4K
-47.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 LKR 90.5
$0.56 Rp 10.2K
-51.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.26 LKR 752
$2.23 Rp 40.3K
1.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 LKR 1,005
$3.55 Rp 64.1K
-14.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Badulla
Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 LKR 539
$1.41 Rp 25.4K
14.89%
White Bread (500g)
$0.57 LKR 190
$2.18 Rp 39.4K
-73.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.61 LKR 203
$1.05 Rp 18.9K
-41.90%
Eggs
$1.65 LKR 548
$1.92 Rp 34.7K
-14.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.15 LKR 5,036
$14.84 Rp 267.9K
2.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.70 LKR 1,230
$3.86 Rp 69.7K
-4.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.60 LKR 2,528
$10.69 Rp 192.9K
-28.91%
Apples (1kg)
$6.61 LKR 2,198
$3.34 Rp 60.2K
97.90%
Banana (1kg)
$0.89 LKR 296
$1.46 Rp 26.4K
-39.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.27 LKR 1,420
$2.22 Rp 40.1K
92.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 LKR 420
$1.80 Rp 32.6K
-30.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 LKR 362
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
-36.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.79 LKR 261
$2.23 Rp 40.2K
-64.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 LKR 405
$0.92 Rp 16.5K
32.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 LKR 152
$0.46 Rp 8,308
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.15 LKR 3,374
$2.06 Rp 37.1K
392.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.31 LKR 4,426
$20.38 Rp 367.8K
-34.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 LKR 634
$2.16 Rp 39.1K
-11.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 LKR 947
$2.85 Rp 51.4K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Badulla
Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.25 Rp 4,531
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.68 Rp 156.7K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.41 LKR 136
$0.44 Rp 7,956
-6.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 LKR 111
$0.43 Rp 7,766
-23.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.87 LKR 288
$5.38 Rp 97.2K
-83.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 LKR 454
$0.85 Rp 15.3K
61.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.8K LKR 14.2M
$23.7K Rp 428.5M
80.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.1K LKR 15.3M
$32.9K Rp 592.9M
40.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Badulla
Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.2 LKR 18.7K
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
-26.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.32 LKR 1,437
$6.33 Rp 114.2K
-31.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.66 LKR 6,870
$18.93 Rp 341.6K
9.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Badulla
Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$41.65 Rp 751.7K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$14.78 Rp 266.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.39 LKR 1,460
$3.58 Rp 64.6K
22.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Badulla
Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$40.51 LKR 13.5K
$437 Rp 7.9M
-90.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.5K LKR 5.8M
$11.0K Rp 199.2M
58.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Badulla
Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.24 LKR 6,066
$43.09 Rp 777.7K
-57.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.37 LKR 5,777
$33.51 Rp 604.8K
-48.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.6 LKR 25.8K
$75.0 Rp 1.4M
3.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.18 LKR 13.7K
$73.9 Rp 1.3M
-44.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Badulla
Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$76.3 LKR 25.4K
$957 Rp 17.3M
-92.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$44.38 LKR 14.8K
$570 Rp 10.3M
-92.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,028 Rp 54.6M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$89.8 LKR 29.9K
$1,446 Rp 26.1M
-93.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,570 LKR 1.5M
$2,096 Rp 37.8M
118.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$747 LKR 248.3K
$1,885 Rp 34.0M
-60.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Badulla
Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$222 LKR 73.6K
$215 Rp 3.9M
2.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.5
13.78
-9.29%

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

Last update for Badulla: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bali: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Badulla
$237
Bali
$263 11.2% $27
Eating Out
Badulla
$104
Bali
$89 14.3% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Badulla
$81
Bali
$102 25.6% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Badulla
$69
Bali
$101 46% $32
Accommodation & Living
Badulla
$44
Bali
$570 1184% $525
Sport & Entertainment
Badulla
$8.8 *
Bali
$49 456% $40
Getting Around
Badulla
$2.1 *
Bali
$12 490% $10

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76 in Badulla and $957 in Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Badulla pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25 in Badulla vs $29 in Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $263 per month, with Badulla cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Badulla
🇮🇩 Bali
🕒 Local time
12:23 12:23 PM
14:53 2:53 PM
2 h 30 min ahead of Badulla
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
110,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18,049 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.54 USD). 1 EUR = 20,262 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Badulla Bali 4,160 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Badulla
  • Bali

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
Badulla vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Badulla cheaper than Bali?
Badulla is about 54% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, clothing, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $820 in Badulla and $1,780 in Bali 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.
What is the rent difference between Badulla and Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $76 in Badulla versus $957 in Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $41 in Badulla versus $437 in Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Badulla or in Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25 versus $29 in Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Badulla or in Bali?
At $547 in Badulla versus $1,187 in Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Badulla or in Bali?
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.
Which city is safer, Badulla or Bali?
Safety-wise, Badulla and Bali are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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