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: $717 in Colombo versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,615 in Colombo versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 29% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,381

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-31.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,420

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,744

$7.09 COP 25.2K

15.66%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 890

$1.71 COP 6,093

55.56%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$1.10 COP 3,910

-38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.78 COP 2,771

-47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 800

$1.68 COP 5,976

42.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,146

$3.07 COP 10.9K

11.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 579

$1.09 COP 3,892

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.26 COP 4,492

-57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 276

$1.38 COP 4,905

-39.86%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 746

$2.19 COP 7,799

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,690

$4.40 COP 15.7K

218.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,557

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,681

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-9.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,466

$2.34 COP 8,319

214.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 375

$1.06 COP 3,764

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,952

$1.50 COP 5,355

288.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 417

$1.38 COP 4,906

-9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 382

$1.15 COP 4,097

-0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 475

$1.16 COP 4,141

22.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 382

$0.89 COP 3,170

28.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 198

$0.84 COP 2,986

-29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,351

$2.28 COP 8,116

339.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,259

$10.64 COP 37.9K

19.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 706

$1.20 COP 4,268

75.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 994

$2.47 COP 8,793

20.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.45

$0.86 COP 3,045

-83.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,702

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-87.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$1.47 COP 5,245

-74.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.96 COP 6,984

-83.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 201

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-92.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 420

$0.95 COP 3,397

32.63%

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

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

47.65%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

32.78%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.2K

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-26.44%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,429

$9.50 COP 33.8K

-55.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,133

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-36.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,948

$25.89 COP 92.1K

-42.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,380

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-62.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,096

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-16.54%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.5K

$309 COP 1.1M

-87.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 148.5K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

-92.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,084

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-53.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,402

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-40.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.7K

$103 COP 365.1K

-31.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.8K

$108 COP 385.8K

-64.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 126.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.6K

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 313.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

11.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 120.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

-50.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

33.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 397.7K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-1.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

-51.65%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Colombo and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 107% 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 $257 vs $188, 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 41% 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, Medellin earns 107% less. 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: $379 in Colombo versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 36% 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 $717 in Colombo versus $1,013 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 $717 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 41% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.