Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $510 in Galle versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $912 in Galle versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,314 in Galle versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Galle costs roughly 51% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Galle 62% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 LKR 970

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-48.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 LKR 7,985

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 LKR 2,560

$7.20 COP 26.0K

11.53%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 865

$1.70 COP 6,140

59.41%

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

$0.73 LKR 234

$1.10 COP 3,966

-33.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.72 COP 2,605

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 739

$1.67 COP 6,022

38.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 945

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-4.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 545

$1.06 COP 3,809

61.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 LKR 110

$1.25 COP 4,497

-72.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 277

$1.39 COP 5,022

-37.41%

Eggs

$1.90 LKR 605

$2.26 COP 8,168

-15.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 LKR 4,512

$4.33 COP 15.6K

226.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,529

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-17.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 LKR 2,501

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-11.21%

Apples (1kg)

$7.51 LKR 2,396

$2.24 COP 8,099

235.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 282

$1.08 COP 3,882

-18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.85 LKR 1,864

$1.53 COP 5,522

282.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 389

$1.37 COP 4,950

-10.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 352

$1.13 COP 4,078

-2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 439

$1.12 COP 4,036

23.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$0.85 COP 3,057

38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 136

$0.91 COP 3,281

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,175

$2.33 COP 8,414

327.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 LKR 3,090

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-12.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 637

$1.19 COP 4,309

68.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 924

$2.37 COP 8,553

22.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 54.7

$0.79 COP 2,838

-78.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 102

$1.44 COP 5,184

-77.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$1.91 COP 6,901

-82.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-92.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 389

$0.94 COP 3,385

29.79%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

47.92%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

31.60%

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

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-28.00%

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

$4.45 LKR 1,418

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-53.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.51 LKR 4,308

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-44.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,044

$3.92 COP 14.1K

-16.58%

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

$36.53 LKR 11.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

-88.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 140.7K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-92.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.53 LKR 8,779

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-52.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.42 LKR 6,192

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 LKR 22.2K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-30.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

$107 COP 386.8K

-64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 LKR 62.8K

$826 COP 3.0M

-76.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 LKR 47.2K

$716 COP 2.6M

-79.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 LKR 103.5K

$546 COP 2.0M

-40.51%

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 Galle: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 68% 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 Galle vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $245 vs $190, 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

Galle vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 68% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.53 in Galle versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Galle – 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 $510 in Galle versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Galle but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Galle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Galle is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.