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: $551 in Kandy versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $860 in Kandy versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,169 in Kandy versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kandy costs roughly 46% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 59% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 LKR 950

$5.95 COP 21.2K

-52.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.83 LKR 3,988

$33.33 COP 118.9K

-64.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 LKR 2,216

$7.23 COP 25.8K

-8.99%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LKR 861

$1.63 COP 5,811

57.06%

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

$0.65 LKR 217

$1.09 COP 3,904

-40.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.73 COP 2,604

-54.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 LKR 726

$1.74 COP 6,197

23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,154

$3.23 COP 11.5K

6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 LKR 472

$1.05 COP 3,742

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$1.29 COP 4,614

-59.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 287

$1.32 COP 4,718

-35.61%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 737

$2.27 COP 8,101

-3.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 LKR 2,859

$4.35 COP 15.5K

94.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,565

$5.88 COP 21.0K

-21.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,746

$8.61 COP 30.7K

-5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 LKR 1,491

$2.25 COP 8,015

96.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 345

$1.07 COP 3,814

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 LKR 1,222

$1.52 COP 5,438

138.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 408

$1.42 COP 5,073

-14.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.17 COP 4,173

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 439

$1.17 COP 4,166

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 LKR 248

$0.89 COP 3,163

-16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 186

$0.90 COP 3,215

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.30 LKR 3,134

$2.25 COP 8,008

313.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 LKR 3,815

$11.04 COP 39.4K

2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 671

$1.14 COP 4,063

74.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 934

$2.38 COP 8,483

16.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 58.1

$0.84 COP 2,979

-79.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.86 LKR 5,009

$41.95 COP 149.6K

-64.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$1.41 COP 5,019

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.90 COP 6,779

-82.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 148

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-94.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 423

$1.01 COP 3,586

23.76%

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

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

$17.6K COP 62.7M

2.09%

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

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

$26.5K COP 94.5M

-19.91%

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

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

$83.7 COP 298.4K

-51.22%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,437

$9.45 COP 33.7K

-54.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.41 LKR 5,194

$24.11 COP 86.0K

-36.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.86 LKR 5,006

$25.31 COP 90.3K

-41.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.62 LKR 1,895

$19.14 COP 68.3K

-70.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,122

$4.10 COP 14.6K

-18.78%

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

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-87.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$328 LKR 110.5K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

-94.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.01 LKR 9,102

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-53.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.32 LKR 4,826

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-56.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-42.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.20 LKR 9,841

$109 COP 387.1K

-73.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 LKR 44.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-72.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

$379 COP 1.4M

-78.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 LKR 73.0K

$837 COP 3.0M

-74.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 LKR 53.8K

$723 COP 2.6M

-77.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$401 LKR 135.2K

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-85.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 LKR 132.8K

$1,223 COP 4.4M

-67.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 LKR 87.6K

$541 COP 1.9M

-51.94%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $131 in Kandy and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 108% 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 $207 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 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 108% 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: $131 in Kandy versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $551 per month in Kandy versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 182% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $551 in Kandy versus $1,017 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 85% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.