Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Badulla and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $538 in Badulla versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $877 in Badulla versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,217 in Badulla versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 68% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Badulla is 61% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 LKR 1,484

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-44.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 LKR 8,445

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-46.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 LKR 2,570

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-21.44%

Cappuccino

$2.48 LKR 820

$3.13 COP 9,937

-20.77%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$1.91 COP 6,058

-64.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.4

$1.51 COP 4,794

-83.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 749

$3.12 COP 9,917

-27.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 976

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-48.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 524

$1.44 COP 4,587

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 178

$2.49 COP 7,894

-78.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 222

$1.77 COP 5,631

-62.15%

Eggs

$1.63 LKR 539

$2.96 COP 9,396

-44.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 LKR 4,306

$10.07 COP 32.0K

29.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 LKR 1,233

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-63.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 LKR 2,434

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-48.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,213

$4.14 COP 13.1K

61.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 274

$1.61 COP 5,106

-48.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 LKR 1,396

$2.25 COP 7,129

87.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 408

$2.25 COP 7,150

-45.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 326

$2.04 COP 6,486

-51.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 265

$1.54 COP 4,873

-48.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 LKR 289

$1.17 COP 3,715

-25.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

$1.31 COP 4,148

-65.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.42 LKR 3,445

$3.90 COP 12.4K

167.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 LKR 4,469

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-3.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 625

$1.74 COP 5,534

8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 948

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$1.31 COP 4,155

-70.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 115

$2.19 COP 6,944

-84.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-89.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 439

$1.37 COP 4,334

-2.92%

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

$36.6K LKR 12.1M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

31.43%

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

$40.2K LKR 13.3M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

12.38%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.3K

$177 COP 562.9K

-68.74%

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

$4.12 LKR 1,361

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-70.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 LKR 6,888

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-29.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.32 LKR 1,427

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-35.04%

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

$38.72 LKR 12.8K

$813 COP 2.6M

-95.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,238 LKR 409.3K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-86.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.84 LKR 6,561

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-77.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.62 LKR 5,494

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-71.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 LKR 26.1K

$138 COP 438.8K

-42.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.27 LKR 14.0K

$102 COP 324.2K

-58.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.5 LKR 25.0K

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-92.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$46.29 LKR 15.3K

$663 COP 2.1M

-93.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.4 LKR 29.9K

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-91.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,574 LKR 1.5M

$4,183 COP 13.3M

9.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$762 LKR 251.9K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-54.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 LKR 75.4K

$678 COP 2.2M

-66.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

10.94

16.00%

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

Last update for Badulla: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.5 in Badulla and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 197% 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: $26.00 in Badulla vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $305 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

Badulla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 213% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 197% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $75.5 in Badulla versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.72 in Badulla versus $813 in Medellin. 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 $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $538 in Badulla versus $1,681 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 213% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.