Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $532 in Badulla versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Badulla versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,177 in Badulla versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 77% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Badulla is 60% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 LKR 1,330

$17.08 €14.72

-76.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,427

$69.2 €59.7

-63.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 LKR 2,810

$13.78 €11.87

-38.90%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 909

$2.76 €2.37

-1.09%

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

$0.73 LKR 245

$2.79 €2.40

-73.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.99 €1.72

-80.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 LKR 777

$4.36 €3.76

-46.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 LKR 1,149

$4.74 €4.09

-27.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 562

$1.29 €1.11

30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 172

$2.05 €1.77

-75.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 243

$1.99 €1.71

-63.32%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 710

$3.39 €2.92

-37.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.30 LKR 4,769

$18.81 €16.21

-23.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 LKR 1,337

$9.36 €8.07

-57.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,627

$19.12 €16.48

-58.79%

Apples (1kg)

$7.31 LKR 2,437

$2.70 €2.32

170.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 373

$2.34 €2.02

-52.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 LKR 1,960

$2.12 €1.83

177.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 415

$2.85 €2.46

-56.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$1.97 €1.70

-43.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 472

$1.80 €1.55

-21.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 386

$1.45 €1.25

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.86 €0.74

-34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,397

$6.78 €5.84

50.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,288

$7.90 €6.81

62.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 664

$1.39 €1.20

43.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 942

$2.37 €2.04

19.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$4.46 €3.84

-91.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$2.05 €1.77

-82.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 202

$29.55 €25.46

-97.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.82 €1.56

-30.77%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

$38.8K €33.5K

-32.35%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$33.1K €28.5K

6.28%

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

$60.2 LKR 20.1K

$189 €163

-68.17%

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

$4.23 LKR 1,411

$22.80 €19.65

-81.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 LKR 4,974

$37.59 €32.39

-60.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,136

$10.82 €9.33

-68.58%

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

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

$728 €628

-95.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 144.3K

$14.8K €12.7K

-97.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.33 LKR 9,116

$88.6 €76.4

-69.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 LKR 6,579

$36.85 €31.75

-46.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 LKR 23.1K

$102 €87.9

-32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.71 LKR 12.9K

$116 €100

-66.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,516 LKR 1.5M

$7,754 €6,680

-41.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$734 LKR 244.9K

$5,176 €4,460

-85.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$218 LKR 72.8K

$2,343 €2,019

-90.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

253.98%

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

Last update for Badulla: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 974% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Badulla vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $319 per month, with Badulla 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

Badulla vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 339% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Barcelona earns 974% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.14 in Badulla versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $532 in Badulla versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Badulla and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 339% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.