Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gampaha

For one person, living is cheaper in Gampaha: $453 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
22

Cost of Living Index in Gampaha
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Gampaha Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Gampaha

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$453

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Gampaha

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Gampaha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,625 in Medellin versus $453 in Gampaha.

Medellin $1,625
Gampaha $453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,412 in Medellin versus $768 in Gampaha.

Medellin $2,412
Gampaha $768

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Medellin versus $1,083 in Gampaha.

Medellin $3,199
Gampaha $1,083

Living in Medellin is roughly 258% more expensive than in Gampaha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Gampaha is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$1.84 LKR 609

351.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$18.22 LKR 6,034

157.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$5.20 LKR 1,721

77.69%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$1.24 LKR 410

145.97%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$0.53 LKR 176

239.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$0.25 LKR 82.1

452.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$2.12 LKR 701

52.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$3.05 LKR 1,010

82.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$1.63 LKR 539

-7.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$0.41 LKR 135

478.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$0.73 LKR 241

132.88%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$1.65 LKR 548

79.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$13.91 LKR 4,607

-26.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$4.03 LKR 1,334

141.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$7.43 LKR 2,460

87.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$5.95 LKR 1,972

-30.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$0.82 LKR 270

86.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$4.51 LKR 1,493

-50.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$1.32 LKR 436

71.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$0.95 LKR 314

109.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$0.84 LKR 277

98.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$0.29 LKR 94.8

306.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$0.34 LKR 114

264.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$9.88 LKR 3,273

-60.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$13.04 LKR 4,319

5.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$1.35 LKR 447

22.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$2.44 LKR 808

-1.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$0.29 LKR 95.2

327.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$0.29 LKR 95.0

341.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$0.36 LKR 120

497.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

$0.89 LKR 295

840.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.17 LKR 388

15.38%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$30.6K LKR 10.1M

13.78%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$39.9K LKR 13.2M

-13.09%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$27.15 LKR 8,994

513.81%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$2.99 LKR 991

355.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$10.85 LKR 3,592

168.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$7.73 LKR 2,561

483.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$4.55 LKR 1,508

53.19%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$14.93 LKR 4,944

5191.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

$121 LKR 40.1K

7372.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

$18.28 LKR 6,054

380.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$9.02 LKR 2,987

544.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

$59.9 LKR 19.8K

132.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$23.95 LKR 7,933

312.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$90.2 LKR 29.9K

1040.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$56.4 LKR 18.7K

997.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$302 LKR 100.2K

521.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$163 LKR 54.0K

518.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$231 LKR 76.4K

187.70%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Gampaha

$56 12.5% 90.9% $563

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Gampaha

$221 48.7% 25.9% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Gampaha

$41 9% 80.4% $168

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Gampaha

$50 11% 71% $123

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Gampaha

$65 14.3% 62% $106

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Gampaha

$3.2 * 0.7% 96.6% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Gampaha

$17 3.7% 71.5% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 188% 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: $47.00 in Medellin vs $18.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $221 per month, with Gampaha cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇱🇰 Gampaha

🕒 Local time

09:23 9:23 AM

19:53 7:53 PM

10 h 30 min ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

20,000

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Medellin Gampaha 16,930 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Gampaha

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 258% in total monthly costs ($1,625 vs $453 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 188% 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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $790 in Medellin versus $14.93 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 $47.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $453 in Gampaha versus $1,625 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 258% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.