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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $510 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $912 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,314 in Galle.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Galle 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.04 LKR 970

94.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$25.04 LKR 7,985

30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.03 LKR 2,560

-10.34%

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

$0.73 LKR 234

50.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.40 LKR 128

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.32 LKR 739

-28.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.96 LKR 945

4.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.71 LKR 545

-38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.35 LKR 110

257.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.87 LKR 277

59.77%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.90 LKR 605

18.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.15 LKR 4,512

-69.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.80 LKR 1,529

21.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.84 LKR 2,501

12.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.51 LKR 2,396

-70.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.88 LKR 282

22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.85 LKR 1,864

-73.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.22 LKR 389

12.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.10 LKR 352

2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.38 LKR 439

-18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.18 LKR 377

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.42 LKR 136

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$9.96 LKR 3,175

-76.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.69 LKR 3,090

14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.00 LKR 637

-40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.90 LKR 924

-18.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.17 LKR 54.7

364.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.32 LKR 102

350.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.33 LKR 104

478.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.57 LKR 181

1307.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.22 LKR 389

-22.95%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

-32.39%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-24.01%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

38.89%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.45 LKR 1,418

115.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$13.51 LKR 4,308

78.83%

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

$3.27 LKR 1,044

19.88%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.53 LKR 11.7K

738.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$441 LKR 140.7K

1241.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.53 LKR 8,779

110.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.42 LKR 6,192

63.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$69.5 LKR 22.2K

43.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

178.14%

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

$197 LKR 62.8K

319.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$148 LKR 47.2K

384.27%

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

$325 LKR 103.5K

68.10%

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 Galle: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 68% 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 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 68% 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 $306 in Medellin versus $36.53 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 $510 in Galle versus $1,034 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.