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: $453 in Galle versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $741 in Galle versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,029 in Galle versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Galle costs roughly 73% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Galle is 67% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.54 LKR 510

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-80.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.87 LKR 7,891

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-50.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 LKR 2,473

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-24.37%

Cappuccino

$1.77 LKR 586

$3.13 COP 9,937

-43.45%

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

$0.70 LKR 230

$1.91 COP 6,058

-63.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.3

$1.51 COP 4,794

-83.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 LKR 409

$3.12 COP 9,917

-60.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 LKR 494

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-74.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 537

$1.44 COP 4,587

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$2.49 COP 7,894

-77.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.77 COP 5,631

-57.06%

Eggs

$1.58 LKR 521

$2.96 COP 9,396

-46.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 LKR 4,381

$10.07 COP 32.0K

31.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,702

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-49.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 LKR 2,356

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-50.21%

Apples (1kg)

$6.59 LKR 2,179

$4.14 COP 13.1K

59.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 261

$1.61 COP 5,106

-50.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 LKR 1,398

$2.25 COP 7,129

88.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 412

$2.25 COP 7,150

-44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 325

$2.04 COP 6,486

-51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 249

$1.54 COP 4,873

-51.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 312

$1.17 COP 3,715

-19.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$1.31 COP 4,148

-62.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,424

$3.90 COP 12.4K

165.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 LKR 2,976

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-35.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 631

$1.74 COP 5,534

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 944

$2.87 COP 9,112

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 LKR 49.26

$1.22 COP 3,858

-87.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 LKR 94.4

$1.31 COP 4,155

-77.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 95.5

$2.19 COP 6,944

-86.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-89.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 428

$1.37 COP 4,334

-5.84%

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

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

33.64%

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

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

13.44%

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

$54.8 LKR 18.1K

$177 COP 562.9K

-69.11%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,343

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-70.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.73 LKR 6,855

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-30.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 LKR 1,455

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-33.83%

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

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

$813 COP 2.6M

-95.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 LKR 399.7K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-86.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.18 LKR 6,672

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-77.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.66 LKR 5,508

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-71.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 LKR 26.1K

$138 COP 438.8K

-42.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.03 LKR 14.2K

$102 COP 324.2K

-57.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 LKR 104.1K

$678 COP 2.2M

-53.52%

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 Galle: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 115% 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: $24.00 in Galle vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $305 per month, with Galle 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

Galle vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 271% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 115% 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.

Childcare runs $37.80 in Galle versus $813 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 $24.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $453 in Galle versus $1,681 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 271% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.