Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Badulla Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Badulla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $538 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $877 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,217 in Badulla.

Living in Medellin is roughly 213% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Badulla is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.49 LKR 1,484

78.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$25.54 LKR 8,445

87.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.77 LKR 2,570

27.28%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.48 LKR 820

26.21%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.68 LKR 226

180.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 LKR 82.4

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.27 LKR 749

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.95 LKR 976

94.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.58 LKR 524

-8.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.54 LKR 178

361.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.67 LKR 222

164.18%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.63 LKR 539

81.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.02 LKR 4,306

-22.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.73 LKR 1,233

171.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.36 LKR 2,434

94.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.69 LKR 2,213

-38.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.83 LKR 274

93.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.22 LKR 1,396

-46.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.23 LKR 408

82.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.99 LKR 326

106.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.80 LKR 265

92.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.87 LKR 289

34.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.45 LKR 150

191.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.42 LKR 3,445

-62.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.52 LKR 4,469

3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.89 LKR 625

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.87 LKR 948

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.39 LKR 128

235.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.35 LKR 115

525.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.88 LKR 292

889.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.33 LKR 439

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.6K LKR 12.1M

-23.92%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$40.2K LKR 13.3M

-11.01%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$55.4 LKR 18.3K

219.92%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$4.12 LKR 1,361

236.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$20.83 LKR 6,888

42.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.32 LKR 1,427

53.94%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$38.72 LKR 12.8K

1999.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,238 LKR 409.3K

642.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$19.84 LKR 6,561

351.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.62 LKR 5,494

254.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$78.8 LKR 26.1K

75.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$42.27 LKR 14.0K

141.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$75.5 LKR 25.0K

1306.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$46.29 LKR 15.3K

1332.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$90.4 LKR 29.9K

1035.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$4,574 LKR 1.5M

-8.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$762 LKR 251.9K

119.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$228 LKR 75.4K

197.02%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Badulla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $75.5 in Badulla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 197% 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 Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $227 per month, with Badulla 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 Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 213% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 197% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $75.5 in Badulla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $38.72 in Badulla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – 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 $538 in Badulla versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla 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, Medellin and Badulla 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 Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 213% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.