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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $532 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $854 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,177 in Badulla.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 339% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Badulla is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$3.99 LKR 1,330

328.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$25.26 LKR 8,427

174.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$8.42 LKR 2,810

63.66%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$2.73 LKR 909

1.10%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.73 LKR 245

282.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.38 LKR 127

423.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$2.33 LKR 777

87.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$3.45 LKR 1,149

37.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.68 LKR 562

-23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.51 LKR 172

301.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.73 LKR 243

172.60%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.13 LKR 710

59.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$14.30 LKR 4,769

31.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$4.01 LKR 1,337

133.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$7.88 LKR 2,627

142.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$7.31 LKR 2,437

-63.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.12 LKR 373

108.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$5.88 LKR 1,960

-63.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.24 LKR 415

129.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.11 LKR 370

77.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.42 LKR 472

26.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.16 LKR 386

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.56 LKR 187

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$10.18 LKR 3,397

-33.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$12.85 LKR 4,288

-38.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.99 LKR 664

-30.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.83 LKR 942

-16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$0.39 LKR 130

1043.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.35 LKR 118

485.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$0.60 LKR 202

4825.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.26 LKR 421

44.44%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

47.81%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-5.91%

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

$189 €163

$60.2 LKR 20.1K

214.18%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$4.23 LKR 1,411

439.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$14.91 LKR 4,974

152.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$3.40 LKR 1,136

218.24%

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

$728 €628

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

1915.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$433 LKR 144.3K

3313.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$27.33 LKR 9,116

224.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$19.72 LKR 6,579

86.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$69.1 LKR 23.1K

47.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$38.71 LKR 12.9K

199.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$4,516 LKR 1.5M

71.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$734 LKR 244.9K

604.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$218 LKR 72.8K

973.83%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Badulla: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 974% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $252 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 339% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Barcelona pays 974% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $36.14 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 $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $532 in Badulla versus $2,337 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 339% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.