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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $531 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $866 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,201 in Badulla.

Living in Medellin is roughly 94% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Badulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.08 LKR 1,300

45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$25.24 LKR 8,050

29.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.16 LKR 2,602

-11.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.62 LKR 836

-35.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.74 LKR 236

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 LKR 119

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.36 LKR 752

-29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.33 LKR 1,062

-6.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.66 LKR 530

-36.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.53 LKR 168

135.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.69 LKR 220

101.45%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.15 LKR 685

5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.31 LKR 4,563

-69.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.99 LKR 1,271

46.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.86 LKR 2,505

12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.67 LKR 2,447

-70.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.06 LKR 339

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.73 LKR 1,829

-73.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.21 LKR 387

13.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 LKR 355

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.43 LKR 455

-21.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.20 LKR 383

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.61 LKR 193

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$9.86 LKR 3,145

-76.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.64 LKR 4,031

-11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.08 LKR 664

-42.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.84 LKR 905

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.39 LKR 123

269.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.36 LKR 114

430.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.61 LKR 193

1214.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.20 LKR 382

-21.67%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

-34.08%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$35.0K LKR 11.2M

-23.56%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$60.1 LKR 19.2K

39.68%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.20 LKR 1,340

128.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.23 LKR 4,857

58.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.25 LKR 1,037

20.62%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.67 LKR 11.7K

735.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$441 LKR 140.6K

1242.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$28.02 LKR 8,937

106.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.70 LKR 6,283

61.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$69.3 LKR 22.1K

44.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.65 LKR 12.3K

177.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Badulla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Badulla. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $253, 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 Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $797 in Badulla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $36.67 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 $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $531 in Badulla versus $1,034 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 94% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.