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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $453 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $741 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,029 in Galle.

Living in Medellin is roughly 271% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Galle is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.54 LKR 510

420.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$23.87 LKR 7,891

100.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.48 LKR 2,473

32.22%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.77 LKR 586

76.84%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.70 LKR 230

172.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 LKR 82.3

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.24 LKR 409

151.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.49 LKR 494

285.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.62 LKR 537

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.57 LKR 187

336.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.76 LKR 251

132.89%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.58 LKR 521

87.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.25 LKR 4,381

-24.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.15 LKR 1,702

96.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.12 LKR 2,356

100.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.59 LKR 2,179

-37.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.79 LKR 261

103.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.23 LKR 1,398

-46.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.25 LKR 412

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.98 LKR 325

108.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.75 LKR 249

105.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.94 LKR 312

24.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.49 LKR 162

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.36 LKR 3,424

-62.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$9.00 LKR 2,976

55.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.91 LKR 631

-8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.86 LKR 944

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.15 LKR 49.26

713.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.29 LKR 94.4

351.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.29 LKR 95.5

655.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.88 LKR 292

889.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.29 LKR 428

6.20%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-25.17%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

-11.85%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$54.8 LKR 18.1K

223.72%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$4.06 LKR 1,343

241.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$20.73 LKR 6,855

43.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.40 LKR 1,455

51.14%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

2050.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,209 LKR 399.7K

659.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$20.18 LKR 6,672

343.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.66 LKR 5,508

253.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$78.9 LKR 26.1K

75.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$43.03 LKR 14.2K

137.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$315 LKR 104.1K

115.16%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Galle: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 115% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $24.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $226 per month, with Galle cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 271% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 115% 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 $813 in Medellin versus $37.80 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 $24.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $453 in Galle versus $1,681 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 271% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.