Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $718 in Colombo versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-33.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,494

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-22.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$7.34 COP 23.9K

17.17%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$1.72 COP 5,599

57.56%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$1.05 COP 3,420

-34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.77 COP 2,515

-48.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$1.69 COP 5,487

34.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$3.17 COP 10.3K

3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.05 COP 3,423

61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.30 COP 4,236

-57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.40 COP 4,544

-37.14%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$2.16 COP 7,046

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,663

$4.39 COP 14.3K

216.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-18.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-6.37%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,571

$2.28 COP 7,425

235.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.11 COP 3,603

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,964

$1.53 COP 4,982

281.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$1.35 COP 4,410

-7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$1.13 COP 3,674

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$1.13 COP 3,692

20.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$0.85 COP 2,753

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.91 COP 2,975

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$2.34 COP 7,629

326.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,267

$12.37 COP 40.3K

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$1.20 COP 3,909

74.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$2.49 COP 8,104

16.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.84 COP 2,727

-80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-87.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$1.42 COP 4,623

-73.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$1.92 COP 6,235

-81.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-91.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$0.99 COP 3,223

20.20%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

50.76%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

28.69%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-26.25%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-56.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,166

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-36.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-40.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,485

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-61.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,104

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-17.59%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$305 COP 993.4K

-88.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-92.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,320

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-52.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,426

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-40.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$101 COP 327.9K

-31.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$108 COP 350.8K

-63.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$477 COP 1.6M

-22.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$376 COP 1.2M

-54.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

14.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 124.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

-49.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

11.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-15.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

-59.37%

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 Colombo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 146% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Colombo vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $193, 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

Colombo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 146% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $368 in Colombo versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $718 in Colombo versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Colombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $718 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.