Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Barcelona

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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Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Barcelona

🇪🇸 Spain

$2,443

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maharagama and in Barcelona

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

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

Maharagama $131
Barcelona $2,443

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

Maharagama $246
Barcelona $3,519

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

Maharagama $361
Barcelona $4,595

Living in Maharagama costs roughly 95% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 LKR 1,761

$17.66 €15.71

-69.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 LKR 6,733

$67.5 €60.0

-70.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 LKR 2,220

$13.61 €12.12

-50.99%

Cappuccino

$2.11 LKR 702

$3.10 €2.76

-31.94%

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

$0.64 LKR 213

$3.00 €2.67

-78.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LKR 95.3

$1.93 €1.71

-84.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 €3.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 €3.88

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 LKR 288

$1.25 €1.11

-30.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LKR 76.1

$2.12 €1.89

-89.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.50 LKR 167

$1.97 €1.76

-74.62%

Eggs

$1.42 LKR 474

$4.76 €4.24

-70.17%

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)

$0.44 LKR 146

$3.08 €2.74

-85.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 LKR 154

$1.48 €1.32

-68.92%

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)

$4.55 LKR 1,514

$14.24 €12.67

-68.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.38 LKR 4,450

$34.56 €30.76

-61.28%

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)

$198 LKR 65.9K

$2,692 €2,396

-92.64%

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)

$240 LKR 79.7K

$2,241 €1,995

-89.31%

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 Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maharagama

–

Barcelona

$1.3K 54.7%

Groceries & Markets

Maharagama

–

Barcelona

$328 13.4%

Eating Out

Maharagama

–

Barcelona

$267 10.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maharagama

–

Barcelona

$232 9.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Maharagama

–

Barcelona

$157 6.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Maharagama

–

Barcelona

$74 3%

Getting Around

Maharagama

–

Barcelona

$49 2%

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

Good to know

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🇪🇸 Barcelona

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

08:40 8:40 AM

4 h 30 min behind Maharagama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

196,400

1,660,122

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

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).

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

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Maharagama Barcelona 8,480 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Maharagama
Barcelona

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

Maharagama vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Maharagama. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

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 $131 per month in Maharagama versus $2,443 in Barcelona – 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, Maharagama and Barcelona 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.