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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $497 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $872 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,247 in Gampaha.

Living in Medellin is roughly 108% more expensive than in Gampaha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Gampaha 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.72 LKR 577

258.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$25.50 LKR 8,569

27.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.05 LKR 1,697

45.35%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.13 LKR 715

-19.25%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.69 LKR 231

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.38 LKR 127

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.21 LKR 743

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.64 LKR 552

93.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.78 LKR 597

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.52 LKR 176

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.73 LKR 244

91.78%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.21 LKR 741

-2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.34 LKR 4,819

-69.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.38 LKR 1,470

34.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.94 LKR 2,667

8.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$6.63 LKR 2,226

-65.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.07 LKR 359

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$5.74 LKR 1,929

-73.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.25 LKR 421

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.07 LKR 358

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.38 LKR 464

-18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.31 LKR 105

174.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.36 LKR 120

152.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$10.14 LKR 3,407

-76.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.48 LKR 4,193

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.54 LKR 517

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.64 LKR 889

-5.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.34 LKR 115

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.32 LKR 106

343.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.35 LKR 118

448.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$0.58 LKR 195

1220.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.26 LKR 425

-21.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-32.95%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-23.25%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

165.21%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.31 LKR 1,111

200.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$12.24 LKR 4,112

97.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$8.51 LKR 2,861

194.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.40 LKR 1,144

17.06%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$16.81 LKR 5,649

1715.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$137 LKR 45.9K

4336.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.31 LKR 9,176

112.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$9.88 LKR 3,322

225.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

50.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$26.60 LKR 8,939

305.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

381.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

497.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$333 LKR 112.1K

153.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$186 LKR 62.4K

293.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$219 LKR 73.5K

181.81%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 182% 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 $26.00 in Gampaha. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $242, 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 108% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $497 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 182% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $16.81 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 $26.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $497 in Gampaha versus $1,031 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 108% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.