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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $510 in Amparai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $824 in Amparai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,138 in Amparai.

Living in Medellin is roughly 222% more expensive than in Amparai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Amparai is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.35 LKR 1,428

84.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$26.40 LKR 8,675

82.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.77 LKR 2,554

21.24%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.45 LKR 806

20.00%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.72 LKR 238

158.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.25 LKR 81.6

484.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.24 LKR 736

43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.96 LKR 974

92.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.63 LKR 536

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.54 LKR 177

344.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.80 LKR 262

112.50%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.62 LKR 531

78.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.47 LKR 4,426

-25.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.95 LKR 1,626

101.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.06 LKR 2,321

101.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$7.00 LKR 2,300

-43.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.89 LKR 294

77.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$4.27 LKR 1,403

-49.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.28 LKR 420

79.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.01 LKR 333

98.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.80 LKR 264

88.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.91 LKR 299

31.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.49 LKR 159

161.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$10.18 LKR 3,346

-62.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$13.89 LKR 4,566

0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.92 LKR 631

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.86 LKR 940

-4.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.38 LKR 125

244.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.36 LKR 118

502.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$0.87 LKR 287

852.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.35 LKR 443

0.74%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

-8.63%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

-14.08%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$55.9 LKR 18.4K

202.04%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$4.13 LKR 1,357

228.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$20.82 LKR 6,842

36.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$1.80 LKR 593

269.44%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

1988.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$1,205 LKR 396.1K

662.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$20.09 LKR 6,602

334.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$16.50 LKR 5,422

259.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

74.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$41.96 LKR 13.8K

143.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$92.0 LKR 30.2K

612.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.69

-13.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Amparai: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 612% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Amparai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $239 per month, with Amparai cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 222% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 612% 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 $803 in Medellin versus $38.47 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 $26.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $510 in Amparai versus $1,641 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 222% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.