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: $531 in Badulla versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $866 in Badulla versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,201 in Badulla versus $3,278 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

$4.08 LKR 1,299

$12.98 MX$226

-68.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.24 LKR 8,042

$53.1 MX$923

-52.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 LKR 2,599

$9.72 MX$169

-16.05%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 835

$3.75 MX$65.2

-30.13%

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

$0.74 LKR 236

$1.57 MX$27.30

-52.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 119

$1.13 MX$19.64

-67.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 LKR 751

$3.18 MX$55.3

-25.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,061

$4.66 MX$81.1

-28.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 LKR 530

$1.62 MX$28.21

2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 167

$2.71 MX$47.09

-80.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 219

$1.88 MX$32.70

-63.30%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 684

$2.51 MX$43.65

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 LKR 4,558

$10.08 MX$175

41.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 LKR 1,270

$8.29 MX$144

-51.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 LKR 2,503

$11.94 MX$208

-34.17%

Apples (1kg)

$7.67 LKR 2,445

$2.86 MX$49.77

168.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$1.75 MX$30.45

-39.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,827

$2.08 MX$36.27

175.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 387

$1.97 MX$34.27

-38.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 355

$2.16 MX$37.58

-48.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 455

$2.18 MX$37.94

-34.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 382

$1.39 MX$24.20

-13.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 193

$1.12 MX$19.57

-45.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 LKR 3,142

$4.20 MX$73.1

134.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 LKR 4,027

$14.25 MX$248

-11.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 663

$1.76 MX$30.68

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 904

$3.68 MX$64.1

-22.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$1.39 MX$24.12

-71.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 113

$0.30 MX$5.29

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 193

$5.42 MX$94.3

-88.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 381

$1.35 MX$23.50

-11.11%

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

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

$18.9K MX$328.6K

43.97%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.2M

$23.2K MX$402.8K

51.39%

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

$60.1 LKR 19.2K

$40.82 MX$710

47.26%

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

$4.20 LKR 1,339

$27.50 MX$479

-84.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.23 LKR 4,852

$30.38 MX$529

-49.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$3.25 LKR 1,036

$6.27 MX$109

-48.17%

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

$36.67 LKR 11.7K

$436 MX$7,588

-91.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 140.5K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-95.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 8,929

$56.8 MX$988

-50.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.70 LKR 6,277

$44.79 MX$779

-56.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 22.1K

$103 MX$1,789

-32.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.65 LKR 12.3K

$108 MX$1,878

-64.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Badulla vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $286 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 179% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $797 in Badulla and $2,225 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $36.67 in Badulla versus $436 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 $531 in Badulla versus $1,484 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 179% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.