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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $530 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $845 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,159 in Badulla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 178% more expensive than in 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

$13.14 MX$227

$4.12 LKR 1,384

218.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$24.75 LKR 8,304

116.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$8.61 LKR 2,888

8.36%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.74 LKR 919

35.04%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.69 LKR 232

131.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.41 LKR 137

173.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.38 LKR 799

31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.31 LKR 1,112

46.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.62 LKR 542

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.53 LKR 177

411.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.68 LKR 228

180.88%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.19 LKR 734

18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$13.97 LKR 4,687

-29.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.98 LKR 1,337

111.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$8.24 LKR 2,764

44.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$7.30 LKR 2,449

-59.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.06 LKR 355

64.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$5.91 LKR 1,984

-65.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.24 LKR 417

66.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.16 LKR 390

85.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.37 LKR 459

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.16 LKR 388

19.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.56 LKR 190

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$9.91 LKR 3,324

-57.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$12.40 LKR 4,159

41.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.11 LKR 707

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.93 LKR 983

23.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.42 LKR 140

228.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.36 LKR 119

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$0.62 LKR 207

751.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.21 LKR 407

12.40%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

-27.52%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$34.9K LKR 11.7M

-32.32%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

-33.13%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$4.35 LKR 1,460

529.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$15.30 LKR 5,132

98.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$3.41 LKR 1,145

81.52%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$37.15 LKR 12.5K

1044.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$443 LKR 148.6K

2324.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$27.18 LKR 9,121

114.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$19.29 LKR 6,471

131.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$68.5 LKR 23.0K

51.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$38.49 LKR 12.9K

182.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$4,451 LKR 1.5M

-14.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$755 LKR 253.2K

179.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$222 LKR 74.6K

373.52%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Badulla: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 374% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $251 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 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 374% 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.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $37.15 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Badulla versus $1,472 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 178% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.