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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $760 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $882 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,004 in Bentota.

Living in Medellin is roughly 122% more expensive than in Bentota, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bentota is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.37 LKR 1,442

80.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$12.17 LKR 4,014

265.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.61 LKR 2,512

22.08%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.35 LKR 776

23.40%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.63 LKR 209

187.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.25 LKR 82.5

520.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.22 LKR 734

46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.94 LKR 970

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.57 LKR 517

-12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.48 LKR 158

410.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.73 LKR 241

106.85%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.56 LKR 513

78.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$12.74 LKR 4,201

-28.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.19 LKR 1,052

233.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$4.39 LKR 1,448

233.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$6.59 LKR 2,175

-39.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.78 LKR 256

76.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$4.44 LKR 1,464

-48.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.88 LKR 290

129.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.02 LKR 336

104.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.79 LKR 259

106.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.93 LKR 306

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.48 LKR 158

160.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$10.20 LKR 3,364

-60.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.34 LKR 4,402

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.88 LKR 619

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.59 LKR 853

15.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.16 LKR 53.6

637.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.37 LKR 123

335.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.29 LKR 95.3

634.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$0.85 LKR 279

902.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.26 LKR 415

7.14%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$30.2K LKR 10.0M

-6.21%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$38.7K LKR 12.8M

-7.67%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$51.6 LKR 17.0K

193.37%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$2.22 LKR 732

490.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$8.97 LKR 2,959

260.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.15 LKR 1,368

54.94%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$36.61 LKR 12.1K

2180.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$1,208 LKR 398.6K

635.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$19.64 LKR 6,478

354.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$16.74 LKR 5,521

230.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$78.2 LKR 25.8K

74.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$41.83 LKR 13.8K

161.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$529 LKR 174.5K

79.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$302 LKR 99.7K

120.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

12.69

-17.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Bentota: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $529 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $212 per month, with Bentota 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 Bentota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,530 in Medellin and $1,140 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: $952 in Medellin versus $529 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $760 in Bentota – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $760 in Bentota versus $1,687 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 122% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.