Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalutara and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalutara and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $539 in Kalutara versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $868 in Kalutara versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,196 in Kalutara versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Kalutara costs roughly 48% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kalutara 60% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,308

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-34.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.58 LKR 8,517

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-22.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 LKR 2,780

$7.42 COP 25.4K

12.53%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 886

$1.65 COP 5,659

61.21%

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

$0.72 LKR 241

$1.07 COP 3,663

-32.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.76 COP 2,607

-51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 762

$1.72 COP 5,908

33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,107

$3.20 COP 11.0K

3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 584

$1.05 COP 3,597

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 187

$1.31 COP 4,479

-57.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 273

$1.34 COP 4,591

-38.81%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 712

$2.19 COP 7,521

-2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 LKR 4,711

$4.41 COP 15.1K

220.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 LKR 1,529

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-19.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 LKR 2,612

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-7.98%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,455

$2.34 COP 8,023

214.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$1.11 COP 3,804

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 LKR 1,885

$1.52 COP 5,210

272.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 414

$1.37 COP 4,680

-9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 387

$1.15 COP 3,950

0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 472

$1.18 COP 4,043

20.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 383

$0.84 COP 2,885

36.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.86 COP 2,931

-30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,413

$2.26 COP 7,753

353.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 LKR 4,322

$11.60 COP 39.8K

11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 702

$1.20 COP 4,109

75.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 LKR 959

$2.48 COP 8,484

16.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.47 COP 5,023

-74.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 108

$1.92 COP 6,568

-82.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-92.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 413

$1.01 COP 3,464

22.77%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

52.03%

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

$34.6K LKR 11.5M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

30.73%

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

$59.2 LKR 19.7K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

-27.00%

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

$4.21 LKR 1,402

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-55.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,985

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-37.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,303

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-61.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.32 LKR 1,105

$4.09 COP 14.0K

-18.83%

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

$36.60 LKR 12.2K

$315 COP 1.1M

-88.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 147.2K

$6,022 COP 20.6M

-92.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.75 LKR 9,241

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-53.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.68 LKR 6,553

$31.97 COP 109.6K

-38.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

$101 COP 346.9K

-30.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.14 LKR 12.7K

$105 COP 360.3K

-63.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

13.43

22.49%

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

Last update for Kalutara: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Kalutara vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $190, 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

Kalutara vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalutara wins on cost – living expenses run 91% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kalutara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $809 in Kalutara and $1,542 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.

Childcare runs $36.60 in Kalutara versus $315 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalutara – 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 $539 in Kalutara versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kalutara but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kalutara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kalutara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $539 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kalutara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kalutara and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kalutara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.