Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Maharagama Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Maharagama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $463 in Maharagama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $796 in Maharagama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,130 in Maharagama.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 405% more expensive than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Maharagama is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

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

$2.79 €2.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.87 LKR 623

-31.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.52 LKR 173

294.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.78 LKR 262

155.13%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.11 LKR 704

60.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$16.26 LKR 5,423

15.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$5.96 LKR 1,987

57.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$10.99 LKR 3,667

73.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$11.75 LKR 3,920

-77.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.24 LKR 415

88.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$10.12 LKR 3,376

-79.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.82 LKR 608

56.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.19 LKR 396

65.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.16 LKR 388

55.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.56 LKR 520

-7.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.58 LKR 192

48.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$9.69 LKR 3,233

-30.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.06 LKR 688

-32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.16 LKR 1,055

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$3.37 LKR 1,125

751.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$0.32 LKR 106

1293.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.29 LKR 96.7

606.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.37 LKR 459

32.85%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

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

$33.1K €28.5K

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

$189 €163

$54.2 LKR 18.1K

248.88%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$3.30 LKR 1,101

590.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$12.75 LKR 4,254

194.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$13.52 LKR 4,510

327.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$5.04 LKR 1,680

114.68%

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

$728 €628

$67.7 LKR 22.6K

976.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$504 LKR 168.0K

2833.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$24.76 LKR 8,258

257.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$13.58 LKR 4,529

171.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$55.8 LKR 18.6K

83.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$57.4 LKR 19.2K

102.14%

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

$167 LKR 55.8K

1570.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$119 LKR 39.5K

1567.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-80.06%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: June 6, 2026

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

Barcelona and Maharagama differ by about 405% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $463 including rent). Maharagama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $694 in Maharagama 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 $728 in Barcelona versus $67.7 in Maharagama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Maharagama runs roughly 751% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $463 in Maharagama versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,500 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 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 Maharagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 405% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.