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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $473 in Maharagama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $789 in Maharagama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,105 in Maharagama.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 399% more expensive than in Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Maharagama is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

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

$2.82 €2.44

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.92 LKR 644

-33.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.49 LKR 164

334.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.73 LKR 246

172.60%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.07 LKR 694

62.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$16.11 LKR 5,405

17.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$5.95 LKR 1,995

60.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$10.91 LKR 3,661

71.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$11.62 LKR 3,898

-77.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.25 LKR 419

88.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$10.10 LKR 3,389

-79.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.83 LKR 613

49.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.19 LKR 400

64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.21 LKR 407

49.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.61 LKR 541

-6.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.62 LKR 208

43.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$9.84 LKR 3,303

-31.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$2.06 LKR 691

-33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$3.25 LKR 1,090

-26.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$3.44 LKR 1,154

733.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$0.34 LKR 115

1247.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$0.31 LKR 105

558.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.43 LKR 478

27.27%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

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

$32.5K €28.1K

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

$187 €162

$53.5 LKR 18.0K

248.84%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$3.28 LKR 1,101

579.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$12.46 LKR 4,182

191.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$13.51 LKR 4,534

325.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$5.09 LKR 1,706

111.59%

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

$725 €628

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

961.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$500 LKR 167.8K

2930.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$24.80 LKR 8,321

254.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$13.30 LKR 4,464

176.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$56.2 LKR 18.9K

83.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$58.1 LKR 19.5K

104.03%

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

$165 LKR 55.5K

1548.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$115 LKR 38.6K

1626.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: July 27, 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 399% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $473 including rent). Maharagama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,539 in Barcelona and $709 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 $725 in Barcelona versus $68.3 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 733% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $473 in Maharagama versus $2,359 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 399% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.