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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Colombo vs $850 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Colombo vs $1,351 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in Colombo vs $1,852 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Colombo is about 16% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Colombo and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Colombo 46% lower, Barranquilla 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$4.79 COP 15.6K

-15.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,492

$31.41 COP 102.1K

-19.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$7.31 COP 23.8K

17.65%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$1.76 COP 5,718

53.98%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$0.85 COP 2,761

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.64 COP 2,096

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$1.35 COP 4,378

68.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$1.89 COP 6,132

73.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$0.99 COP 3,216

71.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.26 COP 4,107

-56.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.07 COP 3,477

-17.76%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$2.06 COP 6,709

3.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,662

$4.70 COP 15.3K

195.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$5.19 COP 16.9K

-7.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$7.15 COP 23.3K

13.15%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,570

$2.87 COP 9,330

166.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.35 COP 4,394

-20.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,963

$1.51 COP 4,919

286.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$0.82 COP 2,676

52.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$0.95 COP 3,084

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$1.43 COP 4,653

-4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$0.86 COP 2,795

39.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.57 COP 1,868

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$2.73 COP 8,890

265.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,266

$11.25 COP 36.6K

12.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$0.91 COP 2,963

129.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$1.34 COP 4,346

116.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.71 COP 2,319

-77.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

$32.39 COP 105.3K

-84.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$1.92 COP 6,236

-80.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$2.96 COP 9,614

-88.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$4.95 COP 16.1K

-87.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$1.00 COP 3,262

19.00%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$14.9K COP 48.3M

82.90%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$22.4K COP 72.8M

53.00%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$139 COP 451.9K

-57.12%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$8.09 COP 26.3K

-46.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,165

$21.84 COP 71.0K

-29.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$21.43 COP 69.7K

-30.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,484

$14.66 COP 47.7K

-49.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,103

$4.20 COP 13.6K

-21.90%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$61.7 COP 200.7K

-40.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$1,834 COP 6.0M

-75.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,318

$62.0 COP 201.5K

-55.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,425

$53.8 COP 174.8K

-64.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$80.0 COP 260.1K

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$71.8 COP 233.3K

-45.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$236 COP 765.8K

56.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$220 COP 713.8K

-21.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.1K

$531 COP 1.7M

82.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.9K

$456 COP 1.5M

-19.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$1,791 COP 5.8M

100.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$686 COP 2.2M

68.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$544 COP 1.8M

-53.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

64.50%

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

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $368 in Colombo versus $236 in Barranquilla. 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 117% 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 $25.00 in Colombo versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Colombo vs $175 in Barranquilla – 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

Colombo vs Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 18% 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 $1,076 per month in Colombo and $1,276 in Barranquilla. 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 $25.00 in Colombo and $31.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $718 in Colombo and $850 in Barranquilla. 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 $718 in Colombo and $850 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Colombo costs $718 versus $850 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.