Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $483 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $784 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 255% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$1.53 LKR 503

424.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$24.46 LKR 8,025

97.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.76 LKR 2,547

25.90%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.40 LKR 788

21.25%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.68 LKR 222

185.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.25 LKR 82.0

508.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.26 LKR 742

36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.12 LKR 1,024

83.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.61 LKR 529

-15.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.57 LKR 187

319.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.76 LKR 249

123.68%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.65 LKR 543

73.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$13.35 LKR 4,380

-25.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.08 LKR 1,668

112.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.39 LKR 2,423

99.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$6.91 LKR 2,268

-40.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.83 LKR 273

89.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$4.43 LKR 1,453

-51.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.25 LKR 410

76.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.01 LKR 331

102.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.76 LKR 251

97.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.95 LKR 313

25.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.48 LKR 158

141.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$10.43 LKR 3,422

-62.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$13.55 LKR 4,447

6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.91 LKR 625

-17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.80 LKR 917

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.41 LKR 135

212.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.37 LKR 123

464.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$0.89 LKR 291

868.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.32 LKR 434

-1.52%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

-8.13%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-15.47%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$53.1 LKR 17.4K

231.77%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$4.18 LKR 1,371

219.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$20.62 LKR 6,765

44.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.51 LKR 1,479

37.47%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

1962.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$1,218 LKR 399.6K

640.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$20.38 LKR 6,688

320.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$16.64 LKR 5,458

251.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$79.9 LKR 26.2K

70.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$42.65 LKR 14.0K

141.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$456 LKR 149.5K

341.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$213 LKR 70.0K

211.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.69

-13.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 212% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $239 – making Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 255% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $725 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $483 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.