Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $2,443 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $27,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Barcelona
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Barcelona Living Index

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Barcelona

🇪🇸 Spain

$2,443

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Maharagama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Maharagama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Barcelona versus $131 in Maharagama.

Barcelona $2,443
Maharagama $131

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Barcelona versus $246 in Maharagama.

Barcelona $3,519
Maharagama $246

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Barcelona versus $361 in Maharagama.

Barcelona $4,595
Maharagama $361

Living in Barcelona is roughly 1768% more expensive than in Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Maharagama is 90% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.71

$5.30 LKR 1,761

233.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 €60.0

$20.24 LKR 6,733

233.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.61 €12.12

$6.67 LKR 2,220

104.05%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.76

$2.11 LKR 702

46.92%

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

$3.00 €2.67

$0.64 LKR 213

368.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.71

$0.29 LKR 95.3

565.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 €3.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 €3.88

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.11

$0.87 LKR 288

43.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 €1.89

$0.23 LKR 76.1

821.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.76

$0.50 LKR 167

294.00%

Eggs

$4.76 €4.24

$1.42 LKR 474

235.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.07 €15.19

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 €7.97

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.65 €18.38

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 €2.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 €1.75

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 €2.36

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 €2.57

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.83

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 €1.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.37

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.97 €6.20

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 €7.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 €2.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.61 €22.79

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 €2.74

$0.44 LKR 146

600.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.32

$0.46 LKR 154

221.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.87 €29.25

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.66

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

$33.0K €29.3K

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

$31.9K €28.4K

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

$183 €163

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

$14.24 €12.67

$4.55 LKR 1,514

212.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.56 €30.76

$13.38 LKR 4,450

158.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 €45.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 €14.58

Cinema Ticket

$11.06 €9.85

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

$944 €840

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K €19.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 €78.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.77 €34.51

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €93.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €105

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 €1,510

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 €1,190

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 €2,396

$198 LKR 65.9K

1258.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 €1,848

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 €6,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,079 €4,520

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,241 €1,995

$240 LKR 79.7K

835.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Barcelona

$1.3K 54.7%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Barcelona

$328 13.4%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Barcelona

$267 10.9%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barcelona

$232 9.5%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Barcelona

$157 6.4%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Barcelona

$74 3%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Barcelona

$49 2%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays about 9.4 times 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: $67 in Barcelona vs $20 in Maharagama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $19 per month, with Maharagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇸 Barcelona

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

08:54 8:54 AM

13:24 1:24 PM

4 h 30 min ahead of Barcelona

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,660,122

196,400

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇺 Euro (€)

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 374 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to EUR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Barcelona Maharagama 8,480 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Barcelona
Maharagama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,443 in Barcelona and $131 in Maharagama, so Maharagama is about 95% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Barcelona is about 9.4 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Maharagama – a meal for two runs $20 versus $67 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,443 per month in Barcelona versus $131 in Maharagama – Maharagama is about 95% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $131 in Maharagama versus $2,443 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Maharagama but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Maharagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Maharagama are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Maharagama wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.