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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $489 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $823 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,157 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 107% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.91 LKR 1,296

53.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$25.39 LKR 8,419

29.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.41 LKR 2,788

-15.70%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.63 LKR 871

-34.98%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.69 LKR 229

59.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.38 LKR 125

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.38 LKR 791

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.39 LKR 1,125

-9.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.72 LKR 572

-36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.56 LKR 186

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.85 LKR 283

62.35%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.22 LKR 736

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.83 LKR 4,587

-68.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.69 LKR 1,555

20.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.02 LKR 2,659

10.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$7.26 LKR 2,406

-67.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.11 LKR 368

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$5.91 LKR 1,958

-74.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.24 LKR 411

11.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.10 LKR 364

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.42 LKR 471

-18.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.15 LKR 382

-22.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.60 LKR 200

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$10.18 LKR 3,377

-77.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$12.77 LKR 4,236

-16.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.07 LKR 685

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.87 LKR 953

-13.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.39 LKR 128

276.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.35 LKR 117

460.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$0.56 LKR 186

1282.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.20 LKR 396

-20.83%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-33.02%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

-24.87%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$26.43 LKR 8,764

211.20%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.25 LKR 1,079

192.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$14.92 LKR 4,948

62.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.29 LKR 1,090

19.45%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

747.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$439 LKR 145.7K

1257.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$28.02 LKR 9,292

109.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$19.62 LKR 6,504

64.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

47.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

178.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

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)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $257 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $489 in Anuradhapura – roughly 107% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $734 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 36% 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 $489, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $489 in Anuradhapura to $1,013 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.