Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bentota Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bentota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $650 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $877 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,104 in Bentota.

Living in Medellin is roughly 56% more expensive than Bentota, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bentota 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.96 LKR 1,323

50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$13.18 LKR 4,395

152.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.27 LKR 2,759

-12.58%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.64 LKR 879

-38.26%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.73 LKR 243

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.38 LKR 126

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.32 LKR 775

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.37 LKR 1,124

-4.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.72 LKR 573

-38.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.52 LKR 173

148.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.87 LKR 289

51.72%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.13 LKR 710

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$14.29 LKR 4,768

-69.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.70 LKR 1,235

58.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.99 LKR 1,666

72.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$7.69 LKR 2,564

-70.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.88 LKR 292

21.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$5.66 LKR 1,888

-73.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.03 LKR 343

37.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.12 LKR 372

4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.38 LKR 460

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.20 LKR 401

-25.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.55 LKR 185

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$9.86 LKR 3,290

-77.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$12.57 LKR 4,192

-12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.10 LKR 700

-45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.89 LKR 962

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.20 LKR 66.9

320.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.39 LKR 129

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.33 LKR 110

475.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$0.61 LKR 204

1170.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.26 LKR 421

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-35.07%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

-22.75%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$59.1 LKR 19.7K

41.64%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$2.49 LKR 831

279.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$10.17 LKR 3,392

137.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.40 LKR 1,134

20.59%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$36.38 LKR 12.1K

757.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$441 LKR 147.0K

1260.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.48 LKR 9,166

111.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.29 LKR 6,436

68.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$69.7 LKR 23.2K

42.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$38.85 LKR 13.0K

179.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$243 LKR 80.9K

98.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$152 LKR 50.8K

149.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bentota: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $243 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $13.00 in Bentota. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $241, 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 Bentota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $975 in Bentota 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $243 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $650 in Bentota – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Bentota versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota 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.

Expats usually find Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.