Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gampaha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gampaha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $495 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $868 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,241 in Gampaha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 104% more expensive than Gampaha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.63 LKR 539

267.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$25.26 LKR 8,374

30.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.08 LKR 1,683

39.57%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.22 LKR 735

-22.97%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.70 LKR 232

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.37 LKR 124

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.13 LKR 706

-21.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.64 LKR 545

87.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.73 LKR 573

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.52 LKR 173

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.73 LKR 244

89.04%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.21 LKR 733

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.25 LKR 4,724

-69.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.46 LKR 1,478

26.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.93 LKR 2,631

12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$6.80 LKR 2,254

-65.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.07 LKR 354

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$5.67 LKR 1,881

-73.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.25 LKR 414

10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.07 LKR 354

7.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.34 LKR 445

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.35 LKR 115

154.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.38 LKR 126

121.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$10.00 LKR 3,314

-77.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.06 LKR 4,332

-18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.53 LKR 508

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.66 LKR 883

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.31 LKR 104

177.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.32 LKR 106

359.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.32 LKR 107

512.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$0.58 LKR 192

1234.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.21 LKR 402

-21.49%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-33.01%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

-22.67%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$29.59 LKR 9,812

177.97%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.41 LKR 1,131

178.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$12.33 LKR 4,087

96.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$8.60 LKR 2,850

201.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.39 LKR 1,124

15.93%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$16.54 LKR 5,484

1770.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$136 LKR 45.2K

4272.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$28.10 LKR 9,317

108.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$10.08 LKR 3,343

220.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$67.9 LKR 22.5K

51.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$27.03 LKR 8,963

301.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$98.5 LKR 32.7K

383.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$61.5 LKR 20.4K

516.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$341 LKR 113.1K

145.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$187 LKR 61.8K

288.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$223 LKR 74.1K

129.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $98.5 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 129% 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 Gampaha. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Gampaha differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $495 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 129% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $98.5 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $16.54 in Gampaha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – 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 $495 in Gampaha versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gampaha but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gampaha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.