Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bandarawela Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bandarawela

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $489 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $785 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,082 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Medellin costs about 244% more than Bandarawela, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Bandarawela is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.39 LKR 461

476.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$26.19 LKR 8,659

82.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.66 LKR 2,532

29.11%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.48 LKR 488

111.49%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.64 LKR 211

198.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 LKR 82.2

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.27 LKR 751

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.47 LKR 816

132.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.55 LKR 513

-7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.34 LKR 114

632.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.57 LKR 187

210.53%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.10 LKR 365

169.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.04 LKR 4,313

-22.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.55 LKR 1,172

185.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.36 LKR 2,434

94.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.66 LKR 2,201

-37.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.62 LKR 205

159.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.17 LKR 1,378

-46.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.29 LKR 427

74.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.89 LKR 296

129.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.56 LKR 185

175.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.88 LKR 291

32.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.49 LKR 161

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$9.54 LKR 3,155

-59.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.83 LKR 4,572

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.92 LKR 634

-9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.91 LKR 963

-1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.17 LKR 56.4

617.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$1.51 LKR 499

5229.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.39 LKR 129

235.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.31 LKR 103

606.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.48 LKR 157

1714.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.91 LKR 302

50.55%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.7K LKR 12.1M

-24.08%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

-12.61%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$54.3 LKR 17.9K

226.64%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$3.41 LKR 1,126

307.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$6.23 LKR 2,060

377.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$5.94 LKR 1,964

655.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$4.58 LKR 1,515

273.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$2.37 LKR 784

180.59%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$37.82 LKR 12.5K

2049.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,231 LKR 407.0K

646.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$20.09 LKR 6,641

345.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.59 LKR 5,486

255.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$79.2 LKR 26.2K

74.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$43.24 LKR 14.3K

136.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$91.5 LKR 30.3K

1060.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$45.26 LKR 15.0K

1364.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$122 LKR 40.5K

1442.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$60.2 LKR 19.9K

1607.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

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 Bandarawela: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $91.5 in Bandarawela. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $221 – making Bandarawela the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bandarawela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $489 in Bandarawela – roughly 244% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $733 in Bandarawela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandarawela, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $37.82 in Bandarawela. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bandarawela, where all-in costs run around $489, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Bandarawela 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 Bandarawela to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bandarawela. 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.