Cost of Living Comparison Between Gampaha and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Gampaha and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $495 in Gampaha versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $868 in Gampaha versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,241 in Gampaha versus $2,192 in Medellin.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Gampaha 63% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.63 LKR 539

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-72.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,374

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-23.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 LKR 1,683

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-28.35%

Cappuccino

$2.22 LKR 735

$1.71 COP 6,115

29.82%

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

$0.70 LKR 232

$1.10 COP 3,924

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.78 COP 2,781

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 LKR 706

$1.68 COP 5,997

26.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 545

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-46.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 573

$1.09 COP 3,906

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.26 COP 4,508

-58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 244

$1.38 COP 4,922

-47.10%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 733

$2.19 COP 7,827

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 LKR 4,724

$4.40 COP 15.7K

223.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 LKR 1,478

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-20.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 LKR 2,631

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-10.80%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 LKR 2,254

$2.34 COP 8,349

190.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 354

$1.06 COP 3,777

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 LKR 1,881

$1.50 COP 5,374

278.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$1.38 COP 4,924

-9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 354

$1.15 COP 4,111

-6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 LKR 445

$1.16 COP 4,155

15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.89 COP 3,182

-60.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.84 COP 2,997

-54.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,314

$2.28 COP 8,145

338.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 LKR 4,332

$10.64 COP 38.0K

22.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 LKR 508

$1.20 COP 4,284

27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 LKR 883

$2.47 COP 8,824

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.86 COP 3,056

-63.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.47 COP 5,264

-78.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 107

$1.96 COP 7,009

-83.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 192

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-92.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 402

$0.95 COP 3,409

27.37%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

49.28%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

29.31%

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

$29.59 LKR 9,812

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-64.02%

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

$3.41 LKR 1,131

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-64.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.33 LKR 4,087

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-49.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.60 LKR 2,850

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-66.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 LKR 1,124

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-13.74%

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

$16.54 LKR 5,484

$309 COP 1.1M

-94.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$136 LKR 45.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-97.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.10 LKR 9,317

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-52.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.08 LKR 3,343

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-68.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 LKR 22.5K

$103 COP 366.4K

-33.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.03 LKR 8,963

$108 COP 387.2K

-75.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.5 LKR 32.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-79.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.5 LKR 20.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-83.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 LKR 113.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

-59.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 LKR 61.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

-74.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 LKR 74.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

-56.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Gampaha: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $98.5 in Gampaha and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 129% 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 Gampaha vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 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

Gampaha vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gampaha and Medellin differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $1,013 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 129% 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: $98.5 in Gampaha versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $16.54 in Gampaha versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – 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 $495 in Gampaha versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gampaha but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gampaha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.