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: $1,716 in Medellin versus $459 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $774 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $1,088 in Gampaha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 274% more expensive than in Gampaha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Gampaha is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$1.89 LKR 619

324.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$18.03 LKR 5,916

167.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$5.25 LKR 1,723

86.10%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.25 LKR 411

132.80%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.59 LKR 192

228.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.27 LKR 89.1

462.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.10 LKR 689

47.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.10 LKR 1,018

85.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.57 LKR 515

-13.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.45 LKR 147

431.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.74 LKR 244

129.73%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.58 LKR 519

81.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$13.04 LKR 4,279

-23.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.05 LKR 1,329

166.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.34 LKR 2,407

100.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$6.19 LKR 2,032

-33.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.90 LKR 296

74.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$4.35 LKR 1,427

-51.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.24 LKR 408

78.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.02 LKR 336

100.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.75 LKR 246

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.29 LKR 94.1

310.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.32 LKR 106

262.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$9.67 LKR 3,173

-59.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$13.32 LKR 4,369

8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.36 LKR 446

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.46 LKR 807

15.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.31 LKR 102

277.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.31 LKR 102

312.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.36 LKR 118

480.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$0.88 LKR 288

879.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.13 LKR 371

15.04%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-9.43%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

-17.40%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$27.91 LKR 9,158

530.85%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$3.10 LKR 1,016

331.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$10.96 LKR 3,596

172.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$7.43 LKR 2,438

502.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.44 LKR 1,455

39.64%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$15.53 LKR 5,094

5008.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$120 LKR 39.4K

7404.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$20.29 LKR 6,657

321.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$9.37 LKR 3,074

524.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$60.5 LKR 19.8K

125.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$24.25 LKR 7,955

325.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$90.2 LKR 29.6K

1075.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$55.6 LKR 18.2K

1122.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$307 LKR 100.7K

555.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$166 LKR 54.6K

602.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$230 LKR 75.4K

189.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 189% 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 $18.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $219 per month, with Gampaha 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Gampaha differ by about 274% in total monthly costs ($1,716 vs $459 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 189% higher in Medellin, 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: $1,060 in Medellin versus $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $793 in Medellin versus $15.53 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 $18.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $459 in Gampaha versus $1,716 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 274% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.