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: $535 in Kandy versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Kandy versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,173 in Kandy versus $2,200 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 60% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 924

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-53.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.88 LKR 3,992

$33.12 COP 106.6K

-64.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 LKR 2,138

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-10.67%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 885

$1.71 COP 5,487

53.80%

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

$0.60 LKR 201

$1.05 COP 3,374

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.72 COP 2,324

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 LKR 716

$1.72 COP 5,531

23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,134

$3.17 COP 10.2K

6.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 LKR 473

$1.06 COP 3,426

33.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.31 COP 4,215

-60.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$1.33 COP 4,279

-35.34%

Eggs

$2.17 LKR 729

$2.28 COP 7,338

-4.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 LKR 2,894

$4.42 COP 14.2K

94.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 LKR 1,524

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-23.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 LKR 2,680

$8.64 COP 27.8K

-7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 LKR 1,507

$2.34 COP 7,545

91.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 327

$1.10 COP 3,546

-11.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 LKR 1,266

$1.47 COP 4,724

156.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 405

$1.38 COP 4,439

-12.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 391

$1.17 COP 3,774

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 420

$1.17 COP 3,765

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 LKR 262

$0.90 COP 2,905

-13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.84 COP 2,708

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.28 LKR 3,119

$2.33 COP 7,490

298.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 LKR 3,854

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-3.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 705

$1.15 COP 3,693

82.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 LKR 921

$2.42 COP 7,791

13.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 59.6

$0.84 COP 2,702

-78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.28 LKR 5,136

$40.83 COP 131.4K

-62.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$1.41 COP 4,541

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.91 COP 6,160

-82.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 LKR 146

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-94.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 421

$0.94 COP 3,037

32.98%

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

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

$17.8K COP 57.3M

-0.33%

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

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

$27.1K COP 87.1M

-20.01%

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

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

$83.3 COP 267.9K

-51.26%

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

$4.37 LKR 1,470

$9.66 COP 31.1K

-54.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.38 LKR 5,170

$24.22 COP 77.9K

-36.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,970

$25.22 COP 81.2K

-41.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.71 LKR 1,919

$19.33 COP 62.2K

-70.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,150

$4.07 COP 13.1K

-15.97%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

$307 COP 986.5K

-88.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$324 LKR 108.9K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-94.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.66 LKR 9,298

$60.0 COP 192.9K

-53.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.38 LKR 4,833

$32.65 COP 105.1K

-55.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

$101 COP 325.2K

-44.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

$108 COP 347.6K

-72.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 LKR 45.9K

$476 COP 1.5M

-71.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

$379 COP 1.2M

-77.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 LKR 73.6K

$816 COP 2.6M

-73.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 LKR 54.2K

$707 COP 2.3M

-77.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$392 LKR 131.9K

$3,190 COP 10.3M

-87.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 LKR 134.2K

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-72.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 LKR 87.6K

$622 COP 2.0M

-58.09%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Kandy and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 139% 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: $12.00 in Kandy vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $192, 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 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 139% 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: $136 in Kandy versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $535 per month in Kandy versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 167% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $535 in Kandy versus $1,018 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 90% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.