Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ragama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $534 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $867 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,201 in Ragama.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 338% more expensive than Ragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.80

$4.06 LKR 1,369

320.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €60.0

$25.46 LKR 8,582

171.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.95

$8.28 LKR 2,790

66.43%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.39

$2.76 LKR 929

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

$2.79 €2.42

$0.73 LKR 247

282.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.73

$0.38 LKR 128

423.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.78

$2.38 LKR 802

83.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.11

$3.44 LKR 1,161

37.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.63 LKR 551

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.78

$0.53 LKR 178

286.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.75 LKR 254

165.33%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.94

$2.13 LKR 717

59.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.31

$14.01 LKR 4,720

34.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.12

$4.60 LKR 1,550

103.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.57

$7.90 LKR 2,662

142.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.34

$7.43 LKR 2,504

-63.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.03

$1.10 LKR 372

112.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$5.62 LKR 1,894

-62.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$1.25 LKR 421

128.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.16 LKR 392

69.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.56

$1.19 LKR 400

51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.26

$1.20 LKR 404

20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.60 LKR 201

43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$10.10 LKR 3,403

-32.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.85

$12.58 LKR 4,240

-37.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.02 LKR 682

-31.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.06

$2.94 LKR 992

-19.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.86

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.86

$0.41 LKR 138

987.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.78

$0.32 LKR 109

540.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.61

$0.56 LKR 189

5176.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.21 LKR 407

50.41%

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

$38.8K €33.7K

$26.6K LKR 9.0M

46.06%

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

$33.1K €28.7K

$34.9K LKR 11.8M

-5.09%

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

$189 €164

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

211.95%

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

$22.80 €19.76

$4.27 LKR 1,438

433.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.58

$15.07 LKR 5,079

149.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €50.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.98

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.38

$3.38 LKR 1,138

220.12%

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

$728 €631

$36.60 LKR 12.3K

1890.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.8K

$444 LKR 149.7K

3225.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.8

$27.18 LKR 9,159

226.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.94

$19.47 LKR 6,561

89.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.4

$69.4 LKR 23.4K

47.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

205.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,360

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,056

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,423

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,712

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,720

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,486

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,031

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

16.45

-79.39%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ragama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $25.00 in Ragama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $253 per month, with Ragama 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ragama differ by about 338% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $534 including rent). Ragama 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 $800 in Ragama 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 $36.60 in Ragama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ragama – 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 $534 in Ragama versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ragama but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ragama 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 Ragama 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 Ragama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 338% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.