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: $760 in Bentota versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $882 in Bentota versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,004 in Bentota versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 55% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bentota is 45% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 LKR 1,442

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-44.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.17 LKR 4,014

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-72.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 LKR 2,512

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-18.08%

Cappuccino

$2.35 LKR 776

$2.90 COP 8,874

-18.97%

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

$0.63 LKR 209

$1.81 COP 5,541

-65.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.5

$1.55 COP 4,741

-83.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 LKR 734

$3.25 COP 9,962

-31.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 970

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 517

$1.38 COP 4,230

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 LKR 158

$2.45 COP 7,517

-80.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 241

$1.51 COP 4,617

-51.66%

Eggs

$1.56 LKR 513

$2.78 COP 8,516

-43.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 LKR 4,201

$9.05 COP 27.7K

40.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 LKR 1,052

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-70.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.39 LKR 1,448

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-69.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.59 LKR 2,175

$3.97 COP 12.2K

65.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 256

$1.38 COP 4,219

-43.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 LKR 1,464

$2.30 COP 7,056

93.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 290

$2.02 COP 6,185

-56.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 336

$2.09 COP 6,390

-51.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 259

$1.63 COP 4,996

-51.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 LKR 306

$1.08 COP 3,313

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$1.25 COP 3,843

-61.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.20 LKR 3,364

$4.03 COP 12.4K

153.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 LKR 4,402

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 LKR 619

$1.60 COP 4,904

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 LKR 853

$3.00 COP 9,189

-13.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.6

$1.18 COP 3,611

-86.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 LKR 123

$1.61 COP 4,920

-77.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 95.3

$2.13 COP 6,533

-86.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 LKR 279

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-90.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 415

$1.35 COP 4,142

-6.67%

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

$30.2K LKR 10.0M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

6.62%

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

$38.7K LKR 12.8M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

8.31%

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

$51.6 LKR 17.0K

$151 COP 463.8K

-65.91%

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

$2.22 LKR 732

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-83.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.97 LKR 2,959

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-72.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 LKR 1,368

$6.43 COP 19.7K

-35.46%

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

$36.61 LKR 12.1K

$835 COP 2.6M

-95.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,208 LKR 398.6K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-86.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.64 LKR 6,478

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-78.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.74 LKR 5,521

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-69.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 LKR 25.8K

$137 COP 418.5K

-42.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.83 LKR 13.8K

$109 COP 335.1K

-61.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 LKR 174.5K

$952 COP 2.9M

-44.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 LKR 99.7K

$668 COP 2.0M

-54.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

10.43

21.67%

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

Last update for Bentota: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $529 in Bentota and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Bentota vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $297 per month, with Bentota 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

Bentota vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,140 in Bentota and $2,530 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: $529 in Bentota versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $760 per month in Bentota versus $1,687 in Medellin – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $760 in Bentota versus $1,687 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 122% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.