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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Colombo is about 17% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,369

$4.94 COP 17.6K

-16.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,344

$30.96 COP 110.6K

-18.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,719

$7.16 COP 25.6K

14.53%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 882

$1.75 COP 6,267

52.00%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.92 COP 3,296

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.60 COP 2,146

-31.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 793

$1.37 COP 4,886

74.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,136

$1.93 COP 6,877

77.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 574

$0.94 COP 3,360

84.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.33 COP 4,749

-60.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 274

$1.03 COP 3,667

-19.42%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 739

$2.03 COP 7,266

9.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,648

$4.51 COP 16.1K

210.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,543

$5.21 COP 18.6K

-10.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,657

$7.14 COP 25.5K

12.18%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,444

$2.88 COP 10.3K

155.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 371

$1.36 COP 4,852

-17.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,934

$1.52 COP 5,434

283.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$0.85 COP 3,037

47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.90 COP 3,226

26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 470

$1.50 COP 5,361

-5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.81 COP 2,909

40.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 196

$0.62 COP 2,202

-4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,321

$2.81 COP 10.0K

256.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,220

$9.55 COP 34.1K

33.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 699

$0.89 COP 3,179

137.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$1.31 COP 4,694

126.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.01

$0.76 COP 2,732

-81.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,687

$32.20 COP 115.0K

-84.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$1.92 COP 6,848

-80.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$2.82 COP 10.1K

-88.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 199

$4.94 COP 17.6K

-87.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 416

$1.00 COP 3,584

26.00%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$15.0K COP 53.6M

78.50%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$22.1K COP 78.9M

59.20%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

$139 COP 495.3K

-56.38%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$8.13 COP 29.0K

-47.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,086

$21.37 COP 76.3K

-28.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,903

$21.44 COP 76.6K

-31.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,358

$14.36 COP 51.3K

-50.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,086

$4.16 COP 14.8K

-21.15%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$61.2 COP 218.5K

-39.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 147.1K

$1,837 COP 6.6M

-75.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,002

$61.3 COP 219.1K

-55.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,344

$52.6 COP 187.8K

-63.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

$80.3 COP 286.7K

-11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

$71.5 COP 255.3K

-46.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 125.7K

$235 COP 838.4K

61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.0K

$224 COP 800.1K

-20.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 310.7K

$544 COP 1.9M

72.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 119.6K

$456 COP 1.6M

-20.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

$1,574 COP 5.6M

136.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

$605 COP 2.2M

96.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.1K

$486 COP 1.7M

-49.12%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $379 in Colombo versus $235 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 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 $25.00 in Colombo versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Colombo vs $171 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 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 $1,076 per month in Colombo and $1,299 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 $717 in Colombo and $866 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 $717 in Colombo and $866 in Barranquilla, 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.