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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $529 in Beruwala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $853 in Beruwala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,177 in Beruwala.

Living in Medellin is roughly 95% more expensive than Beruwala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Beruwala 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.98 LKR 1,270

48.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$25.01 LKR 7,975

30.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.52 LKR 2,718

-15.49%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.71 LKR 865

-37.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.68 LKR 216

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.38 LKR 120

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.40 LKR 767

-30.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.33 LKR 1,061

-6.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.76 LKR 561

-39.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.52 LKR 167

140.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.81 LKR 259

71.60%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.21 LKR 705

2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.12 LKR 4,504

-69.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.56 LKR 1,454

28.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.96 LKR 2,540

10.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.66 LKR 2,444

-70.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.06 LKR 340

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.75 LKR 1,834

-73.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.26 LKR 401

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.12 LKR 356

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.35 LKR 430

-17.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.14 LKR 362

-25.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.57 LKR 181

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$9.98 LKR 3,181

-76.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.49 LKR 3,984

-10.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.11 LKR 673

-43.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.93 LKR 934

-19.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.39 LKR 124

269.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.33 LKR 105

478.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.58 LKR 184

1282.76%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

-32.29%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.1K LKR 10.9M

-21.53%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$60.2 LKR 19.2K

39.42%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.22 LKR 1,346

127.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.17 LKR 4,839

59.26%

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

$3.33 LKR 1,062

17.72%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.65 LKR 11.7K

735.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$447 LKR 142.5K

1224.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.45 LKR 8,755

110.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.12 LKR 6,099

66.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$70.0 LKR 22.3K

42.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$39.47 LKR 12.6K

171.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

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

$155 LKR 49.5K

251.22%

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 Beruwala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 251% 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 $257, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 251% more on average, 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 35% 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 $529 in Beruwala – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $529 in Beruwala versus $1,034 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 95% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.