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: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $528 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $857 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,186 in Badulla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 175% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Badulla is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$225

$3.91 LKR 1,305

231.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$908

$25.52 LKR 8,512

105.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$168

$8.20 LKR 2,736

18.17%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.1

$2.67 LKR 890

40.45%

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

$1.56 MX$27.14

$0.70 LKR 232

122.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.10

$0.40 LKR 135

190.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$2.31 LKR 772

40.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.0

$3.40 LKR 1,133

44.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$1.62 LKR 542

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.30

$0.52 LKR 174

413.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.77

$0.72 LKR 241

162.50%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.74

$2.23 LKR 744

13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$174

$13.85 LKR 4,619

-27.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$148

$3.96 LKR 1,321

115.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$207

$8.22 LKR 2,742

45.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.6

$7.29 LKR 2,431

-59.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.14

$1.12 LKR 373

59.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.69

$5.71 LKR 1,904

-64.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.03

$1.26 LKR 419

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.53

$1.16 LKR 386

86.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.38

$1.37 LKR 456

65.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$1.20 LKR 400

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.34

$0.60 LKR 199

85.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.9

$10.01 LKR 3,337

-58.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$287

$12.62 LKR 4,210

31.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.19

$2.09 LKR 697

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$62.3

$2.85 LKR 949

25.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.98

$0.41 LKR 138

236.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.24

$0.35 LKR 118

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$93.5

$0.58 LKR 193

829.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.32

$1.20 LKR 401

7.50%

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

$18.9K MX$327.9K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-28.21%

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

$23.8K MX$413.0K

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-30.37%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$59.5 LKR 19.8K

-32.97%

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

$27.83 MX$483

$4.32 LKR 1,440

544.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$517

$14.85 LKR 4,952

100.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$902

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$455

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$3.38 LKR 1,126

85.50%

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

$433 MX$7,508

$36.28 LKR 12.1K

1092.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.9K

$449 LKR 149.7K

2248.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$989

$27.28 LKR 9,098

108.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$787

$19.43 LKR 6,482

133.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,768

$70.1 LKR 23.4K

45.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,883

$38.24 LKR 12.8K

183.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$36.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$68.3K

$4,545 LKR 1.5M

-13.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$36.2K

$742 LKR 247.6K

181.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.6K

$224 LKR 74.8K

404.47%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Badulla: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 404% 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 $292 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 175% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 404% 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 $433 in Mexico City versus $36.28 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 $528 in Badulla versus $1,448 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 175% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.