Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $655 in Bentota versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $874 in Bentota versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,093 in Bentota versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bentota 51% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,253

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-33.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.29 LKR 4,235

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-59.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 LKR 2,731

$7.20 COP 26.2K

19.03%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 850

$1.70 COP 6,186

57.06%

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

$0.74 LKR 237

$1.10 COP 3,996

-32.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 130

$0.72 COP 2,625

-43.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 734

$1.67 COP 6,067

37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 LKR 1,089

$3.10 COP 11.3K

10.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 569

$1.06 COP 3,837

67.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 168

$1.25 COP 4,531

-57.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 281

$1.39 COP 5,060

-36.69%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 675

$2.26 COP 8,229

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 LKR 4,402

$4.33 COP 15.8K

219.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 LKR 1,144

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-38.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 LKR 1,636

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-41.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,366

$2.24 COP 8,159

231.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 280

$1.08 COP 3,911

-18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 LKR 1,836

$1.53 COP 5,563

276.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 325

$1.37 COP 4,987

-25.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 365

$1.13 COP 4,109

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 433

$1.12 COP 4,067

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 365

$0.85 COP 3,080

35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 180

$0.91 COP 3,305

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 LKR 3,143

$2.33 COP 8,477

323.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 LKR 4,048

$11.13 COP 40.5K

14.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 637

$1.19 COP 4,342

68.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 950

$2.37 COP 8,617

25.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 LKR 69.5

$0.79 COP 2,859

-72.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 132

$1.44 COP 5,223

-71.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$1.91 COP 6,952

-82.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 195

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-92.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 381

$0.94 COP 3,410

27.66%

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

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

51.85%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

27.76%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-27.43%

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

$2.48 LKR 789

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-74.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 LKR 3,216

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-58.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,048

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-16.07%

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

$36.66 LKR 11.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

-88.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$449 LKR 143.1K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-92.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.82 LKR 8,862

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-51.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.42 LKR 6,188

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 LKR 22.0K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-30.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

$107 COP 389.7K

-64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 LKR 76.9K

$487 COP 1.8M

-50.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 LKR 47.9K

$368 COP 1.3M

-59.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

13.43

22.49%

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

Last update for Bentota: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Bentota and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Bentota vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bentota vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $982 in Bentota 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Bentota versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $655 per month in Bentota versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $655 in Bentota versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota 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.

Expats usually find Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.