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: $516 in Kandy versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $736 in Kandy versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $956 in Kandy versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Kandy costs roughly 69% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kandy is 63% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 904

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-65.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.92 LKR 4,246

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-73.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 LKR 1,964

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-36.52%

Cappuccino

$1.99 LKR 654

$2.94 COP 9,040

-32.31%

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

$0.51 LKR 167

$1.86 COP 5,735

-72.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 LKR 85.5

$1.46 COP 4,479

-82.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 LKR 612

$3.21 COP 9,882

-42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 937

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-50.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 383

$1.44 COP 4,428

-19.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 161

$2.40 COP 7,389

-79.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 258

$1.70 COP 5,228

-54.12%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 527

$2.89 COP 8,896

-44.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 LKR 1,721

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-47.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 LKR 1,412

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-56.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 LKR 2,265

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-51.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LKR 1,012

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 292

$1.58 COP 4,878

-43.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 LKR 564

$2.15 COP 6,624

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 418

$2.30 COP 7,078

-44.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 326

$2.00 COP 6,169

-50.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$1.51 COP 4,646

-46.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 158

$1.20 COP 3,701

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$1.28 COP 3,946

-64.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.75 LKR 2,548

$3.84 COP 11.8K

101.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 LKR 3,788

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 654

$1.71 COP 5,256

16.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 669

$2.74 COP 8,440

-25.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$1.25 COP 3,834

-87.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.68 LKR 1,538

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-93.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$1.31 COP 4,016

-67.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$2.17 COP 6,680

-82.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-94.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 LKR 368

$1.36 COP 4,172

-17.65%

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

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-48.50%

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

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

2.72%

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

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

$169 COP 519.2K

-67.36%

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

$4.11 LKR 1,351

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-69.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.67 LKR 4,164

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-55.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.02 LKR 3,620

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-75.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.68 LKR 2,193

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-61.21%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 LKR 950

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-56.54%

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

$21.41 LKR 7,036

$803 COP 2.5M

-97.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$305 LKR 100.3K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-96.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.30 LKR 6,671

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-76.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.30 LKR 3,386

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-82.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

$139 COP 427.5K

-50.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.80 LKR 8,805

$102 COP 314.0K

-73.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 57.0K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-83.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LKR 38.1K

$653 COP 2.0M

-82.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 LKR 58.2K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-90.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-90.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$414 LKR 135.9K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-89.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 LKR 133.5K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-76.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 LKR 86.5K

$655 COP 2.0M

-59.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.69%

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

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Kandy and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 149% 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: $13.00 in Kandy vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $300 per month, with Kandy 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

Kandy vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 218% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 149% 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: $174 in Kandy versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $516 per month in Kandy versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 218% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 1565% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $516 in Kandy versus $1,641 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 218% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.