Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Badulla

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $547 in Badulla, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Badulla
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Badulla Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Badulla

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$547

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale and in Badulla

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $119 in Matale versus $547 in Badulla.

Matale $119
Badulla $547

Estimated couple costs with rent: $199 in Matale versus $883 in Badulla.

Matale $199
Badulla $883

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $278 in Matale versus $1,219 in Badulla.

Matale $278
Badulla $1,219

Living in Matale costs roughly 78% less than in Badulla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Matale 91% lower, Badulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 LKR 618

$3.84 LKR 1,276

-51.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.21 LKR 3,063

$24.93 LKR 8,291

-63.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 LKR 1,537

$7.54 LKR 2,507

-38.73%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 823

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

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.68 LKR 227

-30.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.8

$0.27 LKR 90.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 LKR 805

$2.26 LKR 752

7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,006

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 565

$1.62 LKR 539

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.57 LKR 190

-35.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.61 LKR 203

11.48%

Eggs

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.65 LKR 548

-32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.15 LKR 5,038

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 LKR 1,230

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 LKR 2,528

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 LKR 2,198

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.89 LKR 296

-34.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 LKR 1,421

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 286

$1.26 LKR 420

-31.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 183

$1.09 LKR 362

-49.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.79 LKR 261

-34.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 LKR 405

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 LKR 3,375

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 LKR 4,428

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 634

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 947

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 111

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 288

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 LKR 454

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

$42.8K LKR 14.2M

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

$46.1K LKR 15.3M

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

$56.2 LKR 18.7K

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

$3.74 LKR 1,242

$4.32 LKR 1,437

-13.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.66 LKR 6,873

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 LKR 1,461

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

$40.51 LKR 13.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K LKR 5.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.24 LKR 6,068

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.37 LKR 5,779

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 LKR 25.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.18 LKR 13.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 LKR 25.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

$44.38 LKR 14.8K

-24.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

$89.8 LKR 29.9K

-45.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,570 LKR 1.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$747 LKR 248.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 LKR 61.1K

$222 LKR 73.7K

-17.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

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

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Last update for Badulla: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Badulla

$237 43.3%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Badulla

$104 19.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Badulla

$81 14.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Badulla

$69 12.7%

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Badulla

$44 8.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Badulla

$8.8 * 1.6%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Badulla

$2.1 * 0.4%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Badulla pays 21% 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: $9 in Matale vs $25 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $38 vs $237 per month, with Matale cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇱🇰 Badulla

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

Same time as Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

110,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Matale Badulla 72 km

From you

Matale
Badulla

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

Matale vs Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matale is about 78% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Matale. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 518% higher in Badulla. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Matale – a meal for two runs $9 versus $25 in Badulla. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Matale gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Matale and Badulla are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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