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: $789 in Colombo versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Colombo versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 52% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Colombo is 43% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 LKR 1,440

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-45.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 LKR 8,464

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-46.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 LKR 2,499

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-19.32%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 804

$2.94 COP 9,040

-16.67%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$1.86 COP 5,735

-60.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$1.46 COP 4,479

-82.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 737

$3.21 COP 9,882

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 979

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-47.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.44 COP 4,428

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$2.40 COP 7,389

-78.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.70 COP 5,228

-52.35%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 539

$2.89 COP 8,896

-43.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,332

$10.06 COP 30.9K

31.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,663

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-49.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,347

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-49.72%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,198

$3.98 COP 12.3K

68.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.58 COP 4,878

-44.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,429

$2.15 COP 6,624

102.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 425

$2.30 COP 7,078

-43.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$2.00 COP 6,169

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$1.51 COP 4,646

-47.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$1.20 COP 3,701

-21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$1.28 COP 3,946

-61.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,403

$3.84 COP 11.8K

169.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 LKR 4,492

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 646

$1.71 COP 5,256

14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 948

$2.74 COP 8,440

5.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 57.2

$1.25 COP 3,834

-86.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-90.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 127

$1.31 COP 4,016

-70.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 127

$2.17 COP 6,680

-82.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 312

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-88.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.36 COP 4,172

-1.47%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

9.24%

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

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

16.34%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

$169 COP 519.2K

-67.19%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,333

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-70.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 LKR 6,755

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-27.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,827

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-67.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-65.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 LKR 1,456

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-33.38%

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

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

$803 COP 2.5M

-95.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-86.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.17 LKR 6,626

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-76.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,411

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-72.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

$139 COP 427.5K

-41.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

$102 COP 314.0K

-57.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 LKR 182.2K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-48.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 LKR 82.3K

$653 COP 2.0M

-61.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 LKR 134.7K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-60.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-9.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-28.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 LKR 82.7K

$655 COP 2.0M

-61.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

10.94

16.00%

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

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Colombo and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 160% 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: $26.00 in Colombo vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $300 per month, with Colombo cheaper across the board.

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 108% 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 160% 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: $554 in Colombo versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $789 in Colombo versus $1,641 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 $789 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 108% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.