Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Badulla Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Badulla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $538 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $877 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,217 in Badulla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 209% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Badulla is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$4.49 LKR 1,484

165.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$25.54 LKR 8,445

102.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.77 LKR 2,570

46.85%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.48 LKR 820

60.89%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.68 LKR 226

144.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.25 LKR 82.4

432.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$2.27 LKR 749

52.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.95 LKR 976

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.58 LKR 524

18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.54 LKR 178

501.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.67 LKR 222

222.39%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.63 LKR 539

77.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$13.02 LKR 4,306

-1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.73 LKR 1,233

169.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.36 LKR 2,434

115.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$6.69 LKR 2,213

-50.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$0.83 LKR 274

142.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$4.22 LKR 1,396

-47.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.23 LKR 408

91.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$0.99 LKR 326

107.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$0.80 LKR 265

137.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.87 LKR 289

85.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.45 LKR 150

211.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$10.42 LKR 3,445

-47.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$13.52 LKR 4,469

30.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.89 LKR 625

8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.87 LKR 948

63.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.39 LKR 128

438.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.35 LKR 115

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$0.88 LKR 292

560.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.33 LKR 439

21.05%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$36.6K LKR 12.1M

-37.57%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$40.2K LKR 13.3M

-33.46%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$55.4 LKR 18.3K

17.61%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$4.12 LKR 1,361

630.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$20.83 LKR 6,888

78.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.32 LKR 1,427

62.96%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$38.72 LKR 12.8K

1100.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$1,238 LKR 409.3K

972.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$19.84 LKR 6,561

282.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$16.62 LKR 5,494

236.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$78.8 LKR 26.1K

41.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$42.27 LKR 14.0K

185.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$75.5 LKR 25.0K

1360.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$46.29 LKR 15.3K

1456.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$90.4 LKR 29.9K

1330.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$4,574 LKR 1.5M

-12.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$762 LKR 251.9K

174.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$228 LKR 75.4K

354.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

12.69

-10.95%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Badulla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $75.5 in Badulla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 355% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $227 per month, with Badulla 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

Mexico City vs Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 209% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 355% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $75.5 in Badulla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $38.72 in Badulla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $538 in Badulla versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Badulla 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 Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 209% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.