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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $655 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $874 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,093 in Bentota.

Living in Medellin is roughly 58% more expensive than Bentota, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bentota 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.93 LKR 1,254

50.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.29 LKR 4,239

146.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.57 LKR 2,734

-15.99%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.67 LKR 851

-36.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.74 LKR 237

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.41 LKR 130

75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.30 LKR 735

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.42 LKR 1,090

-9.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.78 LKR 569

-40.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.53 LKR 168

135.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.88 LKR 281

57.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.12 LKR 675

6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$13.82 LKR 4,406

-68.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.59 LKR 1,145

62.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.13 LKR 1,637

72.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.43 LKR 2,368

-69.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.88 LKR 280

22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.76 LKR 1,838

-73.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.02 LKR 325

34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.15 LKR 366

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.36 LKR 434

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.15 LKR 365

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.56 LKR 180

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$9.87 LKR 3,146

-76.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.71 LKR 4,052

-12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.00 LKR 637

-40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.98 LKR 951

-20.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.22 LKR 69.6

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.41 LKR 132

251.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.33 LKR 104

478.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.61 LKR 195

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

-34.15%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

-21.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

37.80%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$2.48 LKR 790

287.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$10.09 LKR 3,219

139.44%

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

$3.29 LKR 1,049

19.15%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.66 LKR 11.7K

735.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$449 LKR 143.2K

1217.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.82 LKR 8,870

108.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.42 LKR 6,194

63.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$69.1 LKR 22.0K

44.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

178.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$241 LKR 76.9K

101.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$150 LKR 48.0K

144.74%

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

16.45

-18.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bentota: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $241 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 $239, 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $982 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: $487 in Medellin versus $241 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $655 in Bentota – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $655 in Bentota versus $1,034 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 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.