Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Amparai Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Amparai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $523 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $861 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,200 in Amparai.

Living in Medellin is roughly 97% more expensive than in Amparai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Amparai 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.12 LKR 1,386

49.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$25.03 LKR 8,410

30.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.26 LKR 2,776

-11.14%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.68 LKR 899

-35.82%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.69 LKR 233

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.38 LKR 127

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.31 LKR 775

-26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.39 LKR 1,139

-6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.70 LKR 571

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.55 LKR 185

136.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.87 LKR 292

60.92%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.22 LKR 748

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$13.97 LKR 4,695

-68.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.71 LKR 1,582

24.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.88 LKR 2,647

9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$7.70 LKR 2,589

-70.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.11 LKR 373

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$5.80 LKR 1,950

-73.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.26 LKR 424

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.10 LKR 370

2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.36 LKR 458

-16.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.18 LKR 397

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.60 LKR 202

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$9.99 LKR 3,357

-76.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.71 LKR 4,271

-2.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.01 LKR 675

-40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.94 LKR 989

-15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.38 LKR 128

273.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.35 LKR 119

448.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$0.57 LKR 192

1243.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.24 LKR 417

-20.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

-33.54%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.5K LKR 11.9M

-24.91%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$59.5 LKR 20.0K

35.88%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.31 LKR 1,448

130.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.32 LKR 5,147

57.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.00 LKR 671

99.00%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$37.14 LKR 12.5K

721.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$444 LKR 149.1K

1265.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.29 LKR 9,170

113.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.07 LKR 6,407

68.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$69.2 LKR 23.3K

45.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

177.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

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)

$617 COP 2.0M

$90.7 LKR 30.5K

579.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.45

-18.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Amparai: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 580% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Amparai. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $258, 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

Medellin vs Amparai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amparai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 580% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $37.14 in Amparai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Amparai – 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 $523 in Amparai versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Amparai but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Amparai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Amparai 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.

Expats usually find Amparai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.