Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $547 in Badulla, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Badulla
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Badulla Living Index

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Badulla

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$547

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Badulla and in Matale

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 Matale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $547 in Badulla versus $119 in Matale.

Badulla $547
Matale $119

Estimated couple costs with rent: $883 in Badulla versus $199 in Matale.

Badulla $883
Matale $199

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,219 in Badulla versus $278 in Matale.

Badulla $1,219
Matale $278

Living in Badulla is roughly 358% more expensive than in Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Badulla 60% lower, Matale 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.84 LKR 1,276

$1.86 LKR 618

106.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.93 LKR 8,291

$9.21 LKR 3,063

170.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,507

$4.62 LKR 1,537

63.20%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 823

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

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.47 LKR 157

44.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.6

$0.27 LKR 89.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 752

$2.42 LKR 805

-6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,006

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 539

$1.70 LKR 565

-4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.37 LKR 123

54.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 LKR 203

$0.68 LKR 227

-10.29%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 548

$1.11 LKR 368

48.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 LKR 5,038

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 LKR 1,230

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 LKR 2,528

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 LKR 2,198

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 296

$0.58 LKR 192

53.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 LKR 1,421

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 420

$0.86 LKR 286

46.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 LKR 362

$0.55 LKR 183

98.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 261

$0.52 LKR 172

51.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 LKR 405

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 LKR 3,375

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 LKR 4,428

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 634

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 947

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 111

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 288

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 LKR 454

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

$42.8K LKR 14.2M

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

$46.1K LKR 15.3M

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

$56.2 LKR 18.7K

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

$4.32 LKR 1,437

$3.74 LKR 1,242

15.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.66 LKR 6,873

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 LKR 1,461

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

$40.51 LKR 13.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K LKR 5.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.24 LKR 6,068

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.37 LKR 5,779

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 LKR 25.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.18 LKR 13.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 LKR 25.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$44.38 LKR 14.8K

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

32.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.8 LKR 29.9K

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

84.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,570 LKR 1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$747 LKR 248.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 LKR 73.7K

$184 LKR 61.1K

20.64%

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 Badulla: November 1, 2026

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Badulla

$237 43.3%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Badulla

$104 19.1%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Badulla

$81 14.9%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Badulla

$69 12.7%

Matale

–

Accommodation & Living

Badulla

$44 8.1%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Badulla

$8.8 * 1.6%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Badulla

$2.1 * 0.4%

Matale

–

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

Cost Breakdown

Badulla pays 21% 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 in Badulla vs $9 in Matale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $38 per month, with Matale cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Badulla

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

00:41 12:41 AM

Same time as Badulla

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,000

40,800

💱 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

Badulla Matale 72 km

From you

Badulla
Matale

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 Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matale is about 78% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Badulla, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 518% higher in Badulla. 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 Badulla. 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.

Safety-wise, Badulla and Matale are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Matale wins on affordability, Badulla on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.