Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Galle Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Galle

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $496 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $908 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,320 in Galle.

Living in Medellin is roughly 105% more expensive than Galle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Galle 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.03 LKR 1,012

96.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$25.34 LKR 8,451

31.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.05 LKR 2,685

-10.19%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.65 LKR 885

-38.49%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.69 LKR 229

57.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.41 LKR 136

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.29 LKR 763

-24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.97 LKR 990

8.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.79 LKR 596

-41.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.34 LKR 115

279.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.80 LKR 268

65.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.99 LKR 663

14.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.94 LKR 4,651

-68.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.73 LKR 1,576

24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.08 LKR 2,694

6.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$7.53 LKR 2,510

-70.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.89 LKR 297

20.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$5.72 LKR 1,908

-73.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.26 LKR 421

12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.14 LKR 381

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.42 LKR 473

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.19 LKR 397

-25.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.46 LKR 154

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$9.89 LKR 3,300

-77.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.10 LKR 3,035

21.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.08 LKR 692

-45.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.85 LKR 950

-16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.17 LKR 55.1

394.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.32 LKR 106

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.33 LKR 110

475.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$0.57 LKR 189

1259.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.26 LKR 420

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-33.81%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$35.5K LKR 11.8M

-25.31%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

40.26%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.28 LKR 1,426

120.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$13.33 LKR 4,446

80.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.31 LKR 1,105

23.87%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$37.07 LKR 12.4K

741.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$447 LKR 149.2K

1239.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.02 LKR 9,013

114.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.64 LKR 6,552

65.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

42.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

184.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$197 LKR 65.9K

324.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$153 LKR 51.2K

371.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$301 LKR 100.3K

79.93%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Galle: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 80% 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 Galle. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $245, 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 Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 80% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $37.07 in Galle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Galle – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $496 in Galle versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Galle but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Galle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Galle 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 Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.