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: $530 in Badulla versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $845 in Badulla versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,159 in Badulla versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 64% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Badulla is 60% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,381

$13.14 MX$229

-68.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 8,292

$53.5 MX$934

-53.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 LKR 2,884

$9.33 MX$163

-7.72%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 918

$3.70 MX$64.5

-25.95%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$1.60 MX$27.98

-56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 137

$1.12 MX$19.49

-63.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 798

$3.14 MX$54.7

-24.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,110

$4.85 MX$84.5

-31.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 541

$1.65 MX$28.84

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$2.71 MX$47.34

-80.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 228

$1.91 MX$33.29

-64.40%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 733

$2.59 MX$45.17

-15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 LKR 4,681

$9.81 MX$171

42.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 LKR 1,335

$8.43 MX$147

-52.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 LKR 2,760

$11.93 MX$208

-30.93%

Apples (1kg)

$7.30 LKR 2,445

$2.95 MX$51.5

147.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 355

$1.74 MX$30.35

-39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,981

$2.04 MX$35.66

189.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 416

$2.06 MX$35.93

-39.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$2.15 MX$37.49

-46.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 459

$2.26 MX$39.33

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$1.39 MX$24.17

-16.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 189

$1.12 MX$19.47

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 LKR 3,319

$4.22 MX$73.6

134.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 LKR 4,153

$17.51 MX$305

-29.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 706

$1.71 MX$29.82

23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 981

$3.63 MX$63.4

-19.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$1.38 MX$24.00

-69.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$0.28 MX$4.81

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 206

$5.28 MX$92.0

-88.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 406

$1.36 MX$23.69

-11.03%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

$19.1K MX$333.2K

37.96%

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

$34.9K LKR 11.7M

$23.6K MX$411.7K

47.76%

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

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

$40.53 MX$707

49.54%

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

$4.35 LKR 1,458

$27.38 MX$478

-84.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.30 LKR 5,125

$30.38 MX$530

-49.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,143

$6.19 MX$108

-44.91%

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

$37.15 LKR 12.4K

$425 MX$7,414

-91.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$443 LKR 148.4K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

-95.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.18 LKR 9,108

$58.3 MX$1,017

-53.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 LKR 6,462

$44.57 MX$777

-56.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 LKR 23.0K

$103 MX$1,805

-33.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.49 LKR 12.9K

$109 MX$1,897

-64.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,451 LKR 1.5M

$3,792 MX$66.1K

17.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$755 LKR 252.8K

$2,110 MX$36.8K

-64.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 LKR 74.5K

$1,052 MX$18.4K

-78.88%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 374% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $293 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 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 374% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $37.15 in Badulla versus $425 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Badulla versus $1,472 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 178% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.