Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Badulla Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Badulla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $530 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $845 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,159 in Badulla.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 345% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Badulla is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$4.12 LKR 1,384

316.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$24.75 LKR 8,304

174.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$8.61 LKR 2,888

58.42%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.74 LKR 919

1.46%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.69 LKR 232

308.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.41 LKR 137

378.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$2.38 LKR 799

86.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$3.31 LKR 1,112

39.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.62 LKR 542

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.53 LKR 177

301.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.68 LKR 228

192.65%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.19 LKR 734

53.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$13.97 LKR 4,687

35.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$3.98 LKR 1,337

139.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$8.24 LKR 2,764

127.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$7.30 LKR 2,449

-63.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.06 LKR 355

121.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$5.91 LKR 1,984

-64.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.24 LKR 417

120.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.16 LKR 390

68.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.37 LKR 459

32.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.16 LKR 388

30.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.56 LKR 190

58.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$9.91 LKR 3,324

-31.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$12.40 LKR 4,159

-36.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$2.11 LKR 707

-35.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.93 LKR 983

-18.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$0.42 LKR 140

990.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.36 LKR 119

466.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$0.62 LKR 207

4532.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.21 LKR 407

50.41%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

49.18%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$34.9K LKR 11.7M

-6.89%

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

$187 €162

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

207.92%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$4.35 LKR 1,460

412.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$15.30 LKR 5,132

137.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$3.41 LKR 1,145

215.84%

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

$725 €628

$37.15 LKR 12.5K

1851.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$443 LKR 148.6K

3321.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$27.18 LKR 9,121

223.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$19.29 LKR 6,471

90.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$68.5 LKR 23.0K

50.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$38.49 LKR 12.9K

208.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$4,451 LKR 1.5M

67.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$755 LKR 253.2K

594.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$222 LKR 74.6K

976.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-71.75%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Badulla: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 977% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $251 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

Barcelona vs Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 345% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 977% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $37.15 in Badulla. 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 $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Badulla versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. 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 Barcelona, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Badulla 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 345% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.