Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Barranquilla vs $771 in Colombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,191 in Colombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,122 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,610 in Colombo, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 92% more than Colombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Barranquilla sits 8% above the global median, while Colombo is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$4.51 LKR 1,480

86.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 COP 197.2K

$25.96 LKR 8,514

140.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 COP 40.0K

$7.80 LKR 2,556

62.31%

Cappuccino

$2.78 COP 8,783

$2.47 LKR 809

12.55%

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

$1.34 COP 4,215

$0.70 LKR 228

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 COP 4,084

$0.25 LKR 81.8

416.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 COP 12.8K

$2.24 LKR 734

80.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 COP 25.1K

$3.08 LKR 1,010

157.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 2,780

$1.63 LKR 534

-46.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$0.57 LKR 187

124.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,106

$0.80 LKR 264

102.50%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 6,612

$1.65 LKR 541

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 COP 15.7K

$13.08 LKR 4,290

-62.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 COP 56.6K

$4.96 LKR 1,626

261.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 COP 22.5K

$7.27 LKR 2,383

-2.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,160

$6.76 LKR 2,217

-66.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,933

$0.83 LKR 272

12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 COP 1,904

$4.17 LKR 1,368

-85.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 COP 5,841

$1.29 LKR 423

43.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,943

$1.05 LKR 343

19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,089

$0.81 LKR 266

20.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 COP 3,950

$0.88 LKR 290

42.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 2,947

$0.49 LKR 159

89.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 COP 16.1K

$10.25 LKR 3,360

-50.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 COP 40.6K

$13.97 LKR 4,581

-8.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 COP 4,855

$1.89 LKR 621

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.4K

$2.78 LKR 910

75.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 COP 3,800

$0.17 LKR 56.5

605.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,424

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 COP 10.9K

$0.42 LKR 137

723.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 COP 10.2K

$0.36 LKR 117

794.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 COP 49.2K

$0.88 LKR 288

1671.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,230

$1.33 LKR 435

0.75%

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

$22.1K COP 69.7M

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

-27.28%

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

$29.2K COP 92.2M

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-29.98%

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

$151 COP 475.8K

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

174.79%

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

$14.54 COP 45.9K

$4.13 LKR 1,353

252.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 COP 103.1K

$20.85 LKR 6,835

56.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 COP 108.9K

$14.29 LKR 4,685

141.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,858

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$4.33 LKR 1,418

11.32%

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

$323 COP 1.0M

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

764.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 COP 14.8M

$1,223 LKR 401.0K

282.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 COP 353.1K

$19.78 LKR 6,484

465.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 COP 148.7K

$16.93 LKR 5,553

178.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$190 COP 599.2K

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

139.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$255 COP 804.8K

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

503.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 COP 2.5M

$547 LKR 179.4K

45.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.6M

$248 LKR 81.2K

103.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 COP 2.5M

$1,575 LKR 516.6K

-48.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 COP 2.9M

$403 LKR 132.3K

126.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 COP 5.9M

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

-50.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 COP 2.0M

$1,203 LKR 394.5K

-46.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 COP 1.6M

$250 LKR 82.0K

105.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

-21.20%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Barranquilla versus $547 in Colombo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 105% higher in Barranquilla, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Barranquilla versus $26.00 in Colombo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $237 – making Colombo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Barranquilla vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 92% more than Colombo, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,220 per month in Barranquilla and $1,156 in Colombo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Colombo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,480 in Barranquilla and $771 in Colombo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $323 per month in Barranquilla and $37.34 in Colombo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Colombo, where all-in costs run around $771, than in Barranquilla at $1,480. In Colombo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barranquilla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Colombo costs $771 versus $1,480 in Barranquilla. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Colombo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barranquilla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.