Cost of Living Comparison Between Hikkaduwa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hikkaduwa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $515 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $829 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,142 in Hikkaduwa versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Hikkaduwa costs roughly 70% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hikkaduwa is 62% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 LKR 1,426

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-45.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.55 LKR 8,053

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-49.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 LKR 2,458

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-23.34%

Cappuccino

$2.50 LKR 820

$2.91 COP 9,167

-14.09%

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

$0.68 LKR 222

$1.94 COP 6,122

-64.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.2

$1.52 COP 4,792

-83.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 756

$3.09 COP 9,740

-25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-46.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 530

$1.36 COP 4,296

19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 188

$2.39 COP 7,519

-76.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 260

$1.70 COP 5,356

-53.53%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 537

$2.87 COP 9,038

-42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 LKR 4,264

$9.94 COP 31.3K

30.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 LKR 1,653

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-53.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,476

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-48.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.90 LKR 2,263

$4.09 COP 12.9K

68.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.57 COP 4,950

-43.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 LKR 1,405

$2.13 COP 6,695

100.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 423

$2.21 COP 6,972

-41.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 342

$2.05 COP 6,447

-49.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.50 COP 4,737

-46.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 311

$1.19 COP 3,747

-20.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$1.16 COP 3,647

-57.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.31 LKR 3,382

$3.90 COP 12.3K

164.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 LKR 4,514

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-4.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 618

$1.58 COP 4,987

19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 LKR 880

$2.83 COP 8,905

-5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$1.28 COP 4,045

-67.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 122

$2.09 COP 6,589

-82.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-89.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 LKR 431

$1.30 COP 4,088

0.77%

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

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

$27.7K COP 87.1M

12.09%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

18.37%

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

$52.9 LKR 17.3K

$176 COP 554.5K

-69.97%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,411

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-67.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.48 LKR 6,718

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-31.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 LKR 1,436

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-29.35%

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

$37.60 LKR 12.3K

$793 COP 2.5M

-95.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,222 LKR 400.8K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-86.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.32 LKR 6,665

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-76.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.74 LKR 5,493

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-71.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 LKR 26.4K

$136 COP 429.3K

-40.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.03 LKR 13.8K

$103 COP 324.7K

-59.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

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 Hikkaduwa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Hikkaduwa vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $303 per month, with Hikkaduwa 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

Hikkaduwa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 233% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $773 in Hikkaduwa and $2,574 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $515 per month in Hikkaduwa versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 233% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $515 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 233% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.