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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $493 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $899 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,306 in Galle.

Living in Medellin is roughly 103% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Galle 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.95 LKR 989

100.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$25.61 LKR 8,592

28.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.84 LKR 2,629

-5.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,211

$2.71 LKR 910

-39.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,471

$0.74 LKR 247

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,460

$0.41 LKR 137

90.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,416

$2.31 LKR 777

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.97 LKR 995

7.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,477

$1.79 LKR 601

-38.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,965

$0.32 LKR 106

293.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,353

$0.82 LKR 274

68.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,864

$1.91 LKR 642

14.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$14.18 LKR 4,757

-68.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$4.63 LKR 1,555

25.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$8.16 LKR 2,739

9.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,314

$7.28 LKR 2,444

-68.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,355

$0.93 LKR 314

13.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,778

$5.67 LKR 1,904

-73.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,273

$1.20 LKR 404

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.12 LKR 374

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.43 LKR 480

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,840

$1.16 LKR 389

-22.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.43 LKR 143

109.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,039

$9.91 LKR 3,324

-77.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.10 LKR 3,055

33.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,746

$2.02 LKR 678

-41.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,822

$2.85 LKR 957

-12.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.19 LKR 65.3

347.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,462

$0.35 LKR 116

305.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,146

$0.33 LKR 110

490.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$0.61 LKR 204

1193.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,121

$1.25 LKR 419

-20.80%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

-35.49%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-23.38%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$60.8 LKR 20.4K

36.51%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$4.30 LKR 1,443

125.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$13.18 LKR 4,423

78.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.33 LKR 1,116

18.62%

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

$316 COP 995.1K

$37.06 LKR 12.4K

752.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$433 LKR 145.4K

1278.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$27.42 LKR 9,200

118.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$19.08 LKR 6,402

66.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

45.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.6K

$38.65 LKR 13.0K

178.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$192 LKR 64.4K

342.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$149 LKR 50.0K

382.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$305 LKR 102.3K

104.87%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Galle: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 105% 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 $26.00 in Galle. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $243, 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 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 105% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $37.06 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 $26.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $493 in Galle versus $1,003 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 103% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.