Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Anuradhapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Anuradhapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,167 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 108% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.03 LKR 1,355

52.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.97 LKR 8,391

30.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.21 LKR 2,761

-10.60%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.73 LKR 919

-37.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.72 LKR 244

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.40 LKR 135

92.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.28 LKR 765

-25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.38 LKR 1,134

-6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.71 LKR 573

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.55 LKR 185

136.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.80 LKR 270

75.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.23 LKR 750

-3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.26 LKR 4,792

-69.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.72 LKR 1,587

24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.28 LKR 2,782

4.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$7.61 LKR 2,556

-70.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.08 LKR 363

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$5.69 LKR 1,912

-73.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.20 LKR 402

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.11 LKR 374

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.40 LKR 472

-19.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.16 LKR 389

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.56 LKR 188

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$9.92 LKR 3,333

-76.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.49 LKR 4,197

-0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.09 LKR 703

-42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.87 LKR 963

-13.24%

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

$0.39 LKR 130

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.36 LKR 120

433.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$0.61 LKR 206

1155.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.21 LKR 407

-18.18%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

-23.98%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$27.06 LKR 9,094

198.63%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.41 LKR 1,147

191.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.08 LKR 5,068

60.34%

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

$3.41 LKR 1,146

16.72%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

716.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$447 LKR 150.3K

1254.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.71 LKR 9,312

109.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.27 LKR 6,476

67.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

42.94%

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

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 Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $258 in Anuradhapura – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Anuradhapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $496 in Anuradhapura – roughly 108% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $744 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $496, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Anuradhapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $496 in Anuradhapura to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Anuradhapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.