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: $454 in Kurunegala versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $758 in Kurunegala versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,063 in Kurunegala versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Kurunegala costs roughly 55% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kurunegala 66% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 LKR 646

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-67.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.83 LKR 8,233

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-24.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 LKR 1,639

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-30.32%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 870

$1.71 COP 6,115

53.22%

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

$0.44 LKR 145

$1.10 COP 3,924

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.78 COP 2,781

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 LKR 636

$1.68 COP 5,997

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 LKR 966

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-5.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 569

$1.09 COP 3,906

57.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 171

$1.26 COP 4,508

-58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$1.38 COP 4,922

-38.41%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 714

$2.19 COP 7,827

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 LKR 4,576

$4.40 COP 15.7K

213.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,507

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-19.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 LKR 2,603

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$7.57 LKR 2,510

$2.34 COP 8,349

223.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 372

$1.06 COP 3,777

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,898

$1.50 COP 5,374

282.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 396

$1.38 COP 4,924

-13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 381

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 473

$1.16 COP 4,155

23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 392

$0.89 COP 3,182

32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 188

$0.84 COP 2,997

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.93 LKR 3,294

$2.28 COP 8,145

335.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 LKR 4,252

$10.64 COP 38.0K

20.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 687

$1.20 COP 4,284

72.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$2.47 COP 8,824

20.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.86 COP 3,056

-62.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.47 COP 5,264

-73.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$1.96 COP 7,009

-82.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 186

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-92.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 419

$0.95 COP 3,409

32.63%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

45.53%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

33.54%

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

$26.63 LKR 8,831

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-67.62%

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

$1.96 LKR 650

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-79.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.05 LKR 4,991

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-37.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.18 LKR 2,714

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-68.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$1.32 LKR 439

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-66.41%

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

$36.40 LKR 12.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-88.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-92.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.62 LKR 3,854

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-80.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 LKR 6,506

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-39.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.16 LKR 14.6K

$103 COP 366.4K

-56.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 LKR 12.7K

$108 COP 387.2K

-64.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.4 LKR 33.0K

$476 COP 1.7M

-79.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 LKR 66.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-75.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$153 LKR 50.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

-70.06%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $99.4 in Kurunegala and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 234% 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 $255 vs $188, 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 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 234% 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: $99.4 in Kurunegala versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.40 in Kurunegala versus $309 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 $454 in Kurunegala versus $1,013 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 123% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.