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: $459 in Gampaha versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $774 in Gampaha versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,088 in Gampaha versus $3,338 in Medellin.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Gampaha is 67% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.89 LKR 619

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-76.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.03 LKR 5,916

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-62.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 LKR 1,723

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-46.26%

Cappuccino

$1.25 LKR 411

$2.91 COP 9,095

-57.04%

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

$0.59 LKR 192

$1.94 COP 6,074

-69.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.1

$1.52 COP 4,754

-82.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 LKR 689

$3.09 COP 9,663

-32.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,018

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-45.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 515

$1.36 COP 4,262

15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 LKR 147

$2.39 COP 7,460

-81.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 244

$1.70 COP 5,314

-56.47%

Eggs

$1.58 LKR 519

$2.87 COP 8,967

-44.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 LKR 4,279

$9.94 COP 31.1K

31.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 LKR 1,329

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-62.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 LKR 2,407

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-50.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 LKR 2,032

$4.09 COP 12.8K

51.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 296

$1.57 COP 4,911

-42.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$2.13 COP 6,642

104.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 408

$2.21 COP 6,917

-43.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 336

$2.05 COP 6,396

-50.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$1.50 COP 4,700

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 LKR 94.1

$1.19 COP 3,718

-75.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.16 COP 3,619

-72.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 LKR 3,173

$3.90 COP 12.2K

147.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 LKR 4,369

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 LKR 446

$1.58 COP 4,948

-13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LKR 807

$2.83 COP 8,836

-13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 102

$1.17 COP 3,650

-73.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$1.28 COP 4,014

-75.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$2.09 COP 6,537

-82.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-89.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 LKR 371

$1.30 COP 4,056

-13.08%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

10.41%

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

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

21.06%

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

$27.91 LKR 9,158

$176 COP 550.1K

-84.15%

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

$3.10 LKR 1,016

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-76.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.96 LKR 3,596

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-63.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.43 LKR 2,438

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-83.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.44 LKR 1,455

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-28.39%

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

$15.53 LKR 5,094

$793 COP 2.5M

-98.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$120 LKR 39.4K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-98.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 LKR 6,657

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-76.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.37 LKR 3,074

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-83.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 LKR 19.8K

$136 COP 425.9K

-55.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.25 LKR 7,955

$103 COP 322.2K

-76.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$90.2 LKR 29.6K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-91.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.6 LKR 18.2K

$680 COP 2.1M

-91.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 100.7K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-84.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 LKR 54.6K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-85.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 LKR 75.4K

$665 COP 2.1M

-65.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.59%

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

Last update for Gampaha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $90.2 in Gampaha and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 189% 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: $18.00 in Gampaha vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $303 per month, with Gampaha 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

Gampaha vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gampaha and Medellin differ by about 274% in total monthly costs ($459 vs $1,716 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 189% 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: $90.2 in Gampaha versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $15.53 in Gampaha versus $793 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 $18.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $459 in Gampaha versus $1,716 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 274% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.