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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Barranquilla vs $717 in Colombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,166 in Colombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,859 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,615 in Colombo, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 21% more than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barranquilla and Colombo are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 35% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$4.13 LKR 1,369

19.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.96 COP 110.6K

$25.16 LKR 8,344

23.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 COP 25.6K

$8.20 LKR 2,719

-12.68%

Cappuccino

$1.75 COP 6,267

$2.66 LKR 882

-34.21%

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

$0.92 COP 3,296

$0.68 LKR 224

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,146

$0.41 LKR 135

46.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,886

$2.39 LKR 793

-42.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,877

$3.43 LKR 1,136

-43.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,360

$1.73 LKR 574

-45.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 COP 4,749

$0.53 LKR 175

150.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,667

$0.83 LKR 274

24.10%

Eggs

$2.03 COP 7,266

$2.23 LKR 739

-8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 COP 16.1K

$14.02 LKR 4,648

-67.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 18.6K

$4.65 LKR 1,543

12.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$8.01 LKR 2,657

-10.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 COP 10.3K

$7.37 LKR 2,444

-60.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,852

$1.12 LKR 371

21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,434

$5.83 LKR 1,934

-73.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,037

$1.25 LKR 414

-32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,226

$1.14 LKR 379

-21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,361

$1.42 LKR 470

5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,909

$1.14 LKR 379

-28.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,202

$0.59 LKR 196

5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 10.0K

$10.01 LKR 3,321

-71.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 34.1K

$12.73 LKR 4,220

-24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 3,179

$2.11 LKR 699

-57.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,694

$2.97 LKR 985

-55.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,732

$0.14 LKR 48.01

442.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.20 COP 115.0K

$5.09 LKR 1,687

532.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,848

$0.38 LKR 128

405.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.82 COP 10.1K

$0.33 LKR 109

754.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$0.60 LKR 199

723.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,584

$1.26 LKR 416

-20.63%

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

$15.0K COP 53.6M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-43.98%

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

$22.1K COP 78.9M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-37.19%

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

$139 COP 495.3K

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

129.26%

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

$8.13 COP 29.0K

$4.27 LKR 1,416

90.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 COP 76.3K

$15.34 LKR 5,086

39.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.44 COP 76.6K

$14.79 LKR 4,903

44.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.3K

$7.11 LKR 2,358

101.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 COP 14.8K

$3.28 LKR 1,086

26.83%

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

$61.2 COP 218.5K

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

64.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,837 COP 6.6M

$444 LKR 147.1K

314.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 COP 219.1K

$27.15 LKR 9,002

125.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 COP 187.8K

$19.13 LKR 6,344

174.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 COP 286.7K

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 255.3K

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

86.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 838.4K

$379 LKR 125.7K

-38.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 800.1K

$178 LKR 59.0K

25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 COP 1.9M

$937 LKR 310.7K

-41.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.6M

$361 LKR 119.6K

26.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,574 COP 5.6M

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

-57.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 COP 2.2M

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

-49.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.7M

$247 LKR 82.1K

96.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-39.21%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Barranquilla versus $379 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 97% 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 $31.00 in Barranquilla versus $25.00 in Colombo. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Barranquilla vs $257 in Colombo – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 21% more than Colombo, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Barranquilla and $1,076 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla and $25.00 in Colombo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Barranquilla and $717 in Colombo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Barranquilla and $717 in Colombo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Colombo costs $717 versus $866 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.