🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $531 in Badulla versus $1,034 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $866 in Badulla versus $1,577 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,201 in Badulla versus $2,120 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Badulla costs roughly 49% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Badulla60% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.08LKR 1,299
$5.92COP 21.5K
-31.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.24LKR 8,042
$32.75COP 119.1K
-22.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.16LKR 2,599
$7.20COP 26.2K
13.33%
Cappuccino
$2.62LKR 835
$1.70COP 6,186
54.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74LKR 236
$1.10COP 3,996
-32.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37LKR 119
$0.72COP 2,625
-48.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.36LKR 751
$1.67COP 6,067
41.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33LKR 1,061
$3.10COP 11.3K
7.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66LKR 530
$1.06COP 3,837
56.60%
White Bread(500g)
$0.53LKR 167
$1.25COP 4,531
-57.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.69LKR 219
$1.39COP 5,060
-50.36%
Eggs
$2.15LKR 684
$2.26COP 8,229
-4.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.31LKR 4,558
$4.33COP 15.8K
230.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.99LKR 1,270
$5.84COP 21.2K
-31.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.86LKR 2,503
$8.83COP 32.1K
-10.99%
Apples(1kg)
$7.67LKR 2,445
$2.24COP 8,159
242.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06LKR 339
$1.08COP 3,911
-1.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.73LKR 1,827
$1.53COP 5,563
274.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.21LKR 387
$1.37COP 4,987
-11.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.11LKR 355
$1.13COP 4,109
-1.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.43LKR 455
$1.12COP 4,067
27.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20LKR 382
$0.85COP 3,080
41.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61LKR 193
$0.91COP 3,305
-32.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.86LKR 3,142
$2.33COP 8,477
323.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.64LKR 4,027
$11.13COP 40.5K
13.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.08LKR 663
$1.19COP 4,342
74.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84LKR 904
$2.37COP 8,617
19.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.79COP 2,859
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39LKR 123
$1.44COP 5,223
-72.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.36LKR 113
$1.91COP 6,952
-81.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.61LKR 193
$8.02COP 29.2K
-92.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.20LKR 381
$0.94COP 3,410
27.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2KLKR 8.7M
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
51.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0KLKR 11.2M
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
30.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$60.1LKR 19.2K
$84.0COP 305.4K
-28.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.20LKR 1,339
$9.60COP 34.9K
-56.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.23LKR 4,852
$24.16COP 87.9K
-36.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$25.88COP 94.1K
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04COP 69.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.25LKR 1,036
$3.92COP 14.2K
-17.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$36.67LKR 11.7K
$306COP 1.1M
-88.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$441LKR 140.5K
$5,919COP 21.5M
-92.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.02LKR 8,929
$57.9COP 210.6K
-51.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.70LKR 6,277
$31.82COP 115.7K
-38.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.3LKR 22.1K
$99.9COP 363.3K
-30.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$38.65LKR 12.3K
$107COP 389.7K
-63.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$487COP 1.8M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$368COP 1.3M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$826COP 3.0M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$716COP 2.6M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,407COP 5.1M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Badulla
Medellin
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$546COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12
13.43
-10.65%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Badulla: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $25.00 in Badulla vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $253 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Badulla vs Medellin: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Medellin cheaper than Badulla?
Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $797 in Badulla and $1,550 in Medellin 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $36.67 in Badulla versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Badulla or Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Badulla or Medellin?
At $531 in Badulla versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Badulla or Medellin more family-friendly?
For families, Badulla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Badulla or Medellin?
Safety-wise, Badulla and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Badulla vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado