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: $497 in Gampaha versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $872 in Gampaha versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,247 in Gampaha versus $2,167 in Medellin.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Gampaha 63% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 LKR 577

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-72.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 LKR 8,569

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-21.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 LKR 1,697

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-31.20%

Cappuccino

$2.13 LKR 715

$1.72 COP 5,599

23.84%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$1.05 COP 3,420

-34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.77 COP 2,515

-50.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 LKR 743

$1.69 COP 5,487

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 552

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-48.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 597

$1.05 COP 3,423

69.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 176

$1.30 COP 4,236

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 244

$1.40 COP 4,544

-47.86%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 741

$2.16 COP 7,046

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 LKR 4,819

$4.39 COP 14.3K

226.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 LKR 1,470

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-25.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 LKR 2,667

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.63 LKR 2,226

$2.28 COP 7,425

190.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.11 COP 3,603

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,929

$1.53 COP 4,982

275.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$1.35 COP 4,410

-7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 358

$1.13 COP 3,674

-5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 464

$1.13 COP 3,692

22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 LKR 105

$0.85 COP 2,753

-63.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 LKR 120

$0.91 COP 2,975

-60.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 LKR 3,407

$2.34 COP 7,629

333.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,193

$12.37 COP 40.3K

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 LKR 517

$1.20 COP 3,909

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 LKR 889

$2.49 COP 8,104

6.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.84 COP 2,727

-59.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.42 COP 4,623

-77.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$1.92 COP 6,235

-81.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 195

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-92.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 425

$0.99 COP 3,223

27.27%

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

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

49.14%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

30.29%

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

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-62.29%

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

$3.31 LKR 1,111

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-66.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.24 LKR 4,112

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-49.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.51 LKR 2,861

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-66.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,144

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-14.57%

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

$16.81 LKR 5,649

$305 COP 993.4K

-94.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$137 LKR 45.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-97.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.31 LKR 9,176

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-53.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.88 LKR 3,322

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-69.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

$101 COP 327.9K

-33.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.60 LKR 8,939

$108 COP 350.8K

-75.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

$477 COP 1.6M

-79.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

$376 COP 1.2M

-83.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 LKR 112.1K

$845 COP 2.7M

-60.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 LKR 62.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-74.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 LKR 73.5K

$617 COP 2.0M

-64.52%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $98.9 in Gampaha and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 182% 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 Gampaha vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $193, 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 108% in total monthly costs ($497 vs $1,031 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 182% 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: $98.9 in Gampaha versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $16.81 in Gampaha versus $305 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 $26.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $497 in Gampaha versus $1,031 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 108% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.