Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $532 in Badulla versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Badulla versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,177 in Badulla versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Badulla is 60% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 LKR 1,330

$12.98 MX$223

-69.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,427

$52.6 MX$903

-51.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 LKR 2,810

$9.43 MX$162

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 909

$3.57 MX$61.3

-23.53%

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

$0.73 LKR 245

$1.61 MX$27.55

-54.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.15 MX$19.81

-66.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 LKR 777

$3.15 MX$54.0

-26.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 LKR 1,149

$4.86 MX$83.4

-29.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 562

$1.70 MX$29.17

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 172

$2.64 MX$45.23

-80.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 243

$1.90 MX$32.67

-61.58%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 710

$2.54 MX$43.62

-16.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.30 LKR 4,769

$10.08 MX$173

41.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 LKR 1,337

$8.29 MX$142

-51.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,627

$11.57 MX$199

-31.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.31 LKR 2,437

$3.03 MX$52.0

141.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 373

$1.71 MX$29.35

-34.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 LKR 1,960

$2.05 MX$35.16

186.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 415

$2.06 MX$35.36

-39.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$2.06 MX$35.43

-46.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 472

$2.17 MX$37.25

-34.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 386

$1.40 MX$24.08

-17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$1.12 MX$19.26

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,397

$4.29 MX$73.7

137.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,288

$15.41 MX$265

-16.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 664

$1.67 MX$28.74

19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 942

$3.69 MX$63.3

-23.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$1.38 MX$23.70

-71.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$0.28 MX$4.74

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 202

$5.42 MX$92.9

-88.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.28 MX$21.98

-1.56%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

38.40%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

49.95%

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

$60.2 LKR 20.1K

$41.02 MX$704

46.83%

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

$4.23 LKR 1,411

$26.92 MX$462

-84.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 LKR 4,974

$29.69 MX$510

-49.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,136

$6.18 MX$106

-44.98%

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

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

$427 MX$7,331

-91.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 144.3K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-95.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.33 LKR 9,116

$56.8 MX$975

-51.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 LKR 6,579

$44.83 MX$769

-56.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 LKR 23.1K

$105 MX$1,794

-33.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.71 LKR 12.9K

$106 MX$1,819

-63.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,516 LKR 1.5M

$3,903 MX$67.0K

15.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$734 LKR 244.9K

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-64.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$218 LKR 72.8K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-80.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.82%

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

Last update for Badulla: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 407% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $288 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 407% 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 $427 in Mexico City. 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 $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $532 in Badulla versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Badulla and Mexico City 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 172% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.