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: $551 in Badulla versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $882 in Badulla versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,214 in Badulla versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 67% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Badulla is 60% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 LKR 1,432

$12.14 MX$206

-64.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.41 LKR 8,678

$53.9 MX$914

-51.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 LKR 2,489

$11.09 MX$188

-31.74%

Cappuccino

$2.54 LKR 835

$4.10 MX$69.5

-38.05%

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

$0.74 LKR 244

$1.68 MX$28.53

-55.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.2

$1.39 MX$23.55

-80.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 LKR 725

$3.33 MX$56.5

-33.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 994

$5.88 MX$99.7

-48.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 536

$1.85 MX$31.41

-11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$3.17 MX$53.8

-82.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 LKR 206

$2.07 MX$35.13

-69.57%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$2.93 MX$49.67

-43.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 LKR 4,271

$12.59 MX$214

3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 LKR 1,215

$10.11 MX$172

-63.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 LKR 2,437

$16.09 MX$273

-53.88%

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 LKR 2,212

$3.39 MX$57.5

98.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 291

$2.08 MX$35.26

-57.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,428

$2.12 MX$35.97

105.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 426

$2.41 MX$40.95

-46.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 347

$2.13 MX$36.11

-50.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 262

$2.01 MX$34.02

-60.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 292

$1.55 MX$26.21

-42.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

$1.36 MX$23.15

-64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 LKR 3,420

$5.77 MX$97.8

80.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 LKR 4,587

$17.74 MX$301

-21.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 LKR 624

$2.07 MX$35.11

-8.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 923

$4.61 MX$78.3

-39.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

$2.05 MX$34.84

-80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 117

$0.58 MX$9.79

-37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 294

$6.07 MX$103

-85.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 434

$1.55 MX$26.34

-14.84%

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

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

$22.9K MX$388.1K

32.75%

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

$42.6K LKR 14.0M

$27.2K MX$462.0K

56.28%

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

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

$67.4 MX$1,144

-18.22%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,400

$30.62 MX$520

-86.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.92 LKR 6,875

$37.24 MX$632

-43.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 LKR 1,440

$7.11 MX$121

-38.40%

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

$38.49 LKR 12.6K

$456 MX$7,739

-91.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,216 LKR 399.7K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-91.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.72 LKR 6,480

$74.2 MX$1,259

-73.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.61 LKR 5,458

$57.0 MX$967

-70.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 LKR 25.9K

$115 MX$1,958

-31.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.30 LKR 13.9K

$122 MX$2,061

-65.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 LKR 24.9K

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-93.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$46.27 LKR 15.2K

$709 MX$12.0K

-93.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.3 LKR 29.7K

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-93.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,570 LKR 1.5M

$4,005 MX$67.9K

14.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$775 LKR 254.8K

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-63.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 LKR 75.3K

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-78.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

11.3

12.30%

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

Last update for Badulla: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.9 in Badulla and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 372% 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: $26.00 in Badulla vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $345 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 204% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 372% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $75.9 in Badulla versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.49 in Badulla versus $456 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 $26.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $551 in Badulla versus $1,677 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 204% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.