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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Colombo is about 48% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 LKR 1,480

$8.43 COP 26.6K

-46.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.96 LKR 8,514

$62.5 COP 197.2K

-58.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 LKR 2,556

$12.66 COP 40.0K

-38.39%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 809

$2.78 COP 8,783

-11.15%

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

$0.70 LKR 228

$1.34 COP 4,215

-47.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$1.29 COP 4,084

-80.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 734

$4.05 COP 12.8K

-44.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

$7.94 COP 25.1K

-61.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 534

$0.88 COP 2,780

85.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$1.28 COP 4,045

-55.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.62 COP 5,106

-50.62%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 541

$2.10 COP 6,612

-21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 LKR 4,290

$4.97 COP 15.7K

163.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 LKR 1,626

$17.95 COP 56.6K

-72.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 LKR 2,383

$7.12 COP 22.5K

2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 LKR 2,217

$2.27 COP 7,160

197.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 272

$0.93 COP 2,933

-10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 LKR 1,368

$0.60 COP 1,904

595.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 423

$1.85 COP 5,841

-30.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 343

$1.25 COP 3,943

-16.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$0.98 COP 3,089

-17.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$1.25 COP 3,950

-29.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 159

$0.93 COP 2,947

-47.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,360

$5.09 COP 16.1K

101.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 LKR 4,581

$12.85 COP 40.6K

8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 621

$1.54 COP 4,855

22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 910

$4.87 COP 15.4K

-42.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 56.5

$1.20 COP 3,800

-85.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 LKR 2,424

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$3.46 COP 10.9K

-87.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 117

$3.22 COP 10.2K

-88.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$15.59 COP 49.2K

-94.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 435

$1.34 COP 4,230

-0.75%

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

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

$22.1K COP 69.7M

37.52%

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

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

$29.2K COP 92.2M

42.81%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

$151 COP 475.8K

-63.61%

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

$4.13 LKR 1,353

$14.54 COP 45.9K

-71.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 LKR 6,835

$32.67 COP 103.1K

-36.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.29 LKR 4,685

$34.51 COP 108.9K

-58.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.67 LKR 1,858

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 LKR 1,418

$4.82 COP 15.2K

-10.17%

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

$37.34 LKR 12.2K

$323 COP 1.0M

-88.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 LKR 401.0K

$4,682 COP 14.8M

-73.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.78 LKR 6,484

$112 COP 353.1K

-82.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.93 LKR 5,553

$47.13 COP 148.7K

-64.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 LKR 26.0K

$190 COP 599.2K

-58.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.25 LKR 13.9K

$255 COP 804.8K

-83.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 179.4K

$794 COP 2.5M

-31.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 LKR 81.2K

$503 COP 1.6M

-50.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 LKR 516.6K

$806 COP 2.5M

95.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 LKR 132.3K

$915 COP 2.9M

-55.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,772 LKR 1.2M

$1,882 COP 5.9M

100.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 LKR 394.5K

$647 COP 2.0M

85.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.0K

$513 COP 1.6M

-51.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

26.90%

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

Last update for Colombo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Colombo versus $794 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 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 $26.00 in Colombo versus $63.0 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $256 – 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

Colombo vs Barranquilla: 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 $1,156 per month in Colombo and $2,220 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.

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

Kindergarten costs $37.34 per month in Colombo and $323 in Barranquilla. 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.