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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $531 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $866 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,201 in Badulla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 179% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Badulla is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.08 LKR 1,300

218.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$25.24 LKR 8,050

110.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$8.16 LKR 2,602

19.12%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.62 LKR 836

43.13%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.74 LKR 236

112.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.37 LKR 119

205.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.36 LKR 752

34.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.33 LKR 1,062

39.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.66 LKR 530

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.53 LKR 168

411.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.69 LKR 220

172.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.15 LKR 685

16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$14.31 LKR 4,563

-29.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.99 LKR 1,271

107.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.86 LKR 2,505

51.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$7.67 LKR 2,447

-62.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.06 LKR 339

65.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$5.73 LKR 1,829

-63.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.21 LKR 387

62.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.11 LKR 355

94.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.43 LKR 455

52.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.20 LKR 383

15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.61 LKR 193

83.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$9.86 LKR 3,145

-57.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$12.64 LKR 4,031

12.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.08 LKR 664

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.84 LKR 905

29.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.39 LKR 123

256.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.36 LKR 114

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$0.61 LKR 193

788.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.20 LKR 382

12.50%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

-30.54%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$35.0K LKR 11.2M

-33.94%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$60.1 LKR 19.2K

-32.09%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$4.20 LKR 1,340

554.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$15.23 LKR 4,857

99.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.25 LKR 1,037

92.92%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$36.67 LKR 11.7K

1089.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$441 LKR 140.6K

2273.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$28.02 LKR 8,937

102.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$19.70 LKR 6,283

127.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$69.3 LKR 22.1K

48.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$38.65 LKR 12.3K

179.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-5.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Badulla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $253 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 179% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $797 in Badulla 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 $436 in Mexico City versus $36.67 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 $25.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $531 in Badulla versus $1,484 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 179% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.