Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurunegala and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kurunegala and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $442 in Kurunegala versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $760 in Kurunegala versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,079 in Kurunegala versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Kurunegala costs roughly 57% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kurunegala 67% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 LKR 632

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-69.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.46 LKR 8,556

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-21.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 LKR 1,655

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-32.97%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 920

$1.72 COP 5,599

59.30%

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

$0.44 LKR 148

$1.05 COP 3,420

-58.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.77 COP 2,515

-50.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 LKR 665

$1.69 COP 5,487

17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 991

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-6.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 566

$1.05 COP 3,423

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.30 COP 4,236

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.40 COP 4,544

-37.14%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 709

$2.16 COP 7,046

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 LKR 4,763

$4.39 COP 14.3K

222.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,530

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-22.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 LKR 2,742

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-5.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 LKR 2,549

$2.28 COP 7,425

232.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.11 COP 3,603

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 LKR 1,951

$1.53 COP 4,982

279.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 424

$1.35 COP 4,410

-6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 375

$1.13 COP 3,674

-1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 479

$1.13 COP 3,692

26.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 389

$0.85 COP 2,753

36.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 204

$0.91 COP 2,975

-32.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,346

$2.34 COP 7,629

325.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 LKR 4,175

$12.37 COP 40.3K

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 694

$1.20 COP 3,909

71.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 999

$2.49 COP 8,104

19.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 107

$0.84 COP 2,727

-61.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$1.42 COP 4,623

-73.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.92 COP 6,235

-82.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-92.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 409

$0.99 COP 3,223

23.23%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

46.36%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

33.03%

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

$26.71 LKR 8,977

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-66.95%

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

$1.96 LKR 659

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-80.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.90 LKR 5,008

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-38.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.61 LKR 2,892

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-65.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$1.31 LKR 440

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-67.09%

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

$36.92 LKR 12.4K

$305 COP 993.4K

-87.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$443 LKR 148.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-92.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.61 LKR 3,900

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-80.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.16 LKR 6,439

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-40.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.17 LKR 14.8K

$101 COP 327.9K

-56.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 LKR 12.9K

$108 COP 350.8K

-64.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$102 LKR 34.2K

$477 COP 1.6M

-78.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 LKR 66.5K

$845 COP 2.7M

-76.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$150 LKR 50.4K

$617 COP 2.0M

-75.70%

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 Kurunegala: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $102 in Kurunegala and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 311% 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: $25.00 in Kurunegala vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $193, 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

Kurunegala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 311% 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: $102 in Kurunegala versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.92 in Kurunegala versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurunegala – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $442 in Kurunegala versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kurunegala but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kurunegala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kurunegala 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, Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.