For one person, living is cheaper in Sri Lanka: $608 a month against $1,783 in Spain, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Spain and in Sri Lanka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,783 in Spain versus $608 in Sri Lanka.
Spain $1,783
Sri Lanka $608
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,606 in Spain versus $963 in Sri Lanka.
Spain $2,606
Sri Lanka $963
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Spain versus $1,319 in Sri Lanka.
Spain $3,429
Sri Lanka $1,319
🌍
Living in Spain is roughly 193% more expensive than in Sri Lanka on average.
📊
Spain (33% above) and Sri Lanka (55% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.95€15.12
$2.76LKR 913
514.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.7€50.6
$19.14LKR 6,333
196.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.32€10.10
$7.39LKR 2,446
53.18%
Cappuccino
$2.33€2.08
$2.32LKR 767
0.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67€2.39
$0.66LKR 217
304.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86€1.66
$0.29LKR 95.5
541.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.27€2.92
$2.33LKR 769
40.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96€3.53
$3.05LKR 1,009
29.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.22€1.09
$1.59LKR 527
-23.27%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47€1.31
$0.49LKR 161
200.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67€1.49
$0.70LKR 230
138.57%
Eggs
$3.45€3.08
$1.62LKR 537
112.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.14€12.62
$12.02LKR 3,976
17.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.30€7.41
$4.25LKR 1,406
95.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.99€14.27
$7.37LKR 2,439
116.96%
Apples(1kg)
$2.44€2.18
$5.61LKR 1,857
-56.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.97€1.76
$0.78LKR 257
152.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.16€1.93
$4.44LKR 1,467
-51.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.58€2.30
$1.26LKR 416
104.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86€1.66
$0.94LKR 310
97.87%
Onion(1kg)
$1.95€1.74
$0.83LKR 273
134.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35€1.21
$0.81LKR 268
66.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72€0.65
$0.47LKR 157
53.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.36€5.68
$9.95LKR 3,291
-36.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.59€4.99
$11.98LKR 3,962
-53.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25€1.11
$1.92LKR 635
-34.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04€1.82
$2.65LKR 878
-23.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.65€1.47
$0.19LKR 62.8
768.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.88€30.24
$5.95LKR 1,970
469.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.45€3.97
$0.46LKR 154
867.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.44€1.29
$0.34LKR 114
323.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.55€21.91
$0.95LKR 315
2484.21%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.74€1.56
$1.27LKR 420
37.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K€32.1K
$30.0KLKR 9.9M
19.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K€26.6K
$40.3KLKR 13.3M
-25.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151€135
$46.21LKR 15.3K
227.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.62€15.72
$4.00LKR 1,324
340.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.06€28.61
$16.77LKR 5,547
91.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.30€40.42
$12.28LKR 4,063
268.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.11€13.49
$6.36LKR 2,104
137.58%
Cinema Ticket
$9.27€8.27
$3.73LKR 1,233
148.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$531€474
$35.47LKR 11.7K
1396.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.4K€9,278
$581LKR 192.1K
1690.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4€77.1
$20.41LKR 6,752
323.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.02€33.04
$15.50LKR 5,129
138.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.9€81.1
$72.7LKR 24.0K
25.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104€92.9
$37.40LKR 12.4K
178.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$993€886
$309LKR 102.2K
221.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$791€706
$139LKR 46.0K
469.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,606€1,433
$765LKR 253.2K
109.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,197€1,068
$243LKR 80.4K
392.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,073€3,635
$3,632LKR 1.2M
12.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,601€2,321
$1,134LKR 375.1K
129.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Sri Lanka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,001€1,786
$216LKR 71.5K
826.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.29
13.46
-75.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Spain: October 4, 2026
Last update for Sri Lanka: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Spain
$791 44.9%
Sri Lanka
$139 22.7% ↓ 82.4%$652
🛒Groceries & Markets
Spain
$270 15.3%
Sri Lanka
$219 35.7% ↓ 19.1%$51
🍽Eating Out
Spain
$240 13.6%
Sri Lanka
$94 15.3% ↓ 61%$146
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
$201 11.4%
Sri Lanka
$67 10.9% ↓ 66.7%$134
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Spain
$143 8.1%
Sri Lanka
$66 10.7% ↓ 54.2%$78
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Spain
$64 3.6%
Sri Lanka
$20 3.2% ↓ 69.1%$44
🚌Getting Around
Spain
$52 3%
Sri Lanka
$8.9 1.5% ↓ 82.9%$43
🏠Accommodation & Living
Spain
$1.2K 35.2%
Sri Lanka
$243 18.7% ↓ 79.7%$954
🛒Groceries & Markets
Spain
$643 18.9%
Sri Lanka
$500 38.5% ↓ 22.2%$142
🍽Eating Out
Spain
$770 22.7%
Sri Lanka
$274 21.1% ↓ 64.4%$496
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
$219 6.4%
Sri Lanka
$71 5.5% ↓ 67.5%$148
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Spain
$318 9.4%
Sri Lanka
$146 11.2% ↓ 54.2%$172
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Spain
$143 4.2%
Sri Lanka
$46 3.5% ↓ 67.9%$97
🚌Getting Around
Spain
$108 3.2%
Sri Lanka
$18 1.4% ↓ 83.1%$89
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $911 in Spain, $57.0 in Sri Lanka. Capital cities: $1,524 in Madrid vs $302 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
💰National salary averages: $1,980 in Spain, $201 in Sri Lanka. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 1498% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 185% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 2800% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 885% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.
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
Spain vs Sri Lanka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Spain or Sri Lanka?
At $1,783 per month in Spain and $608 in Sri Lanka, there's a 193% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Spain or Sri Lanka?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Sri Lanka: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Spain and Sri Lanka?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $911 in Spain and $57.0 in Sri Lanka. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $1,200 go in Spain compared to Sri Lanka?
In Sri Lanka, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Spain and in Sri Lanka?
It depends on what you're after: Sri Lanka wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.