Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $549 in Kandy versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $862 in Kandy versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,175 in Kandy versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kandy costs roughly 47% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 59% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 LKR 877

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-53.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.69 LKR 3,700

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-64.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 LKR 2,087

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-8.97%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 825

$1.71 COP 6,137

52.63%

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

$0.61 LKR 193

$1.09 COP 3,915

-44.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 LKR 94.5

$0.77 COP 2,743

-61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 670

$1.75 COP 6,254

21.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$3.18 COP 11.4K

5.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 LKR 458

$1.06 COP 3,792

36.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 177

$1.30 COP 4,657

-56.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 275

$1.38 COP 4,926

-36.96%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 674

$2.21 COP 7,908

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 LKR 2,832

$4.52 COP 16.2K

98.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 LKR 1,511

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-17.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.12 LKR 2,570

$8.97 COP 32.1K

-9.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,467

$2.29 COP 8,182

102.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 324

$1.06 COP 3,791

-3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 LKR 1,150

$1.51 COP 5,411

140.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 398

$1.36 COP 4,869

-7.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 362

$1.16 COP 4,146

-1.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 390

$1.17 COP 4,174

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 LKR 245

$0.83 COP 2,960

-7.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 177

$0.85 COP 3,043

-34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 LKR 2,928

$2.35 COP 8,423

293.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 LKR 3,814

$11.09 COP 39.7K

8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 652

$1.15 COP 4,133

79.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 LKR 858

$2.47 COP 8,853

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.3

$0.79 COP 2,827

-78.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.20 LKR 4,810

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-63.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 132

$1.44 COP 5,140

-70.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 111

$1.90 COP 6,793

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 LKR 128

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-94.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 384

$1.03 COP 3,680

17.48%

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

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

$17.7K COP 63.3M

-0.03%

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

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-21.68%

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

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-50.28%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,353

$9.42 COP 33.7K

-54.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,737

$23.77 COP 85.1K

-37.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.12 LKR 4,784

$25.86 COP 92.6K

-41.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 LKR 1,841

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-69.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,077

$4.05 COP 14.5K

-16.05%

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

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-88.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$321 LKR 101.5K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-94.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.83 LKR 8,808

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-52.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.44 LKR 4,569

$32.82 COP 117.5K

-56.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

$100 COP 359.6K

-43.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.77 LKR 9,423

$106 COP 380.3K

-71.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 LKR 41.9K

$490 COP 1.8M

-72.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

$371 COP 1.3M

-76.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 LKR 69.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-73.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 LKR 51.0K

$715 COP 2.6M

-77.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$428 LKR 135.3K

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-85.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$417 LKR 132.0K

$1,394 COP 5.0M

-70.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 LKR 87.6K

$532 COP 1.9M

-47.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69%

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

Last update for Kandy: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $132 in Kandy and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 92% 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: $12 in Kandy vs $33 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 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

Kandy vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 92% 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: $132 in Kandy versus $490 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $549 per month in Kandy versus $1,030 in Medellin – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 175% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $549 in Kandy versus $1,030 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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.

Safety-wise, Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.