Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beruwala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beruwala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $521 in Beruwala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $865 in Beruwala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,208 in Beruwala.

Living in Medellin is roughly 97% more expensive than in Beruwala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Beruwala 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.14 LKR 1,380

44.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$24.85 LKR 8,289

32.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$8.27 LKR 2,757

-10.28%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.77 LKR 923

-40.43%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.70 LKR 233

52.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.37 LKR 125

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.30 LKR 767

-25.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.26 LKR 1,087

-1.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.73 LKR 576

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.57 LKR 189

129.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$0.88 LKR 293

52.27%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.22 LKR 740

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$14.23 LKR 4,746

-69.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.74 LKR 1,583

20.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$8.18 LKR 2,728

4.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$7.63 LKR 2,543

-69.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.11 LKR 371

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$5.74 LKR 1,915

-73.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.24 LKR 415

10.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.16 LKR 387

-0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.37 LKR 458

-13.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.19 LKR 397

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.56 LKR 186

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$10.20 LKR 3,403

-77.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$13.01 LKR 4,339

-10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.10 LKR 701

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.97 LKR 991

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$0.38 LKR 128

286.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.33 LKR 110

481.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$0.57 LKR 190

1263.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.26 LKR 421

-19.84%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-34.13%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$34.6K LKR 11.5M

-23.52%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$59.0 LKR 19.7K

37.48%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$4.35 LKR 1,450

116.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$15.38 LKR 5,131

55.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$3.34 LKR 1,113

22.46%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$37.30 LKR 12.4K

743.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$436 LKR 145.5K

1280.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$27.53 LKR 9,184

116.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$19.52 LKR 6,512

63.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$69.4 LKR 23.1K

45.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$38.76 LKR 12.9K

171.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$148 LKR 49.3K

272.41%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Beruwala: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 272% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Beruwala. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $260, 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 Beruwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beruwala is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 272% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $521 in Beruwala – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $521 in Beruwala versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beruwala but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Beruwala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Beruwala 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 Beruwala 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 Beruwala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.