Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hikkaduwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hikkaduwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $582 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,118 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,654 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Medellin is roughly 74% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Hikkaduwa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.97 LKR 1,324

50.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$25.53 LKR 8,515

28.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.54 LKR 2,850

-16.98%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.71 LKR 903

-36.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.74 LKR 248

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.32 LKR 106

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.32 LKR 773

-27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.27 LKR 1,092

-6.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.67 LKR 558

-34.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.55 LKR 185

129.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.83 LKR 277

66.27%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.15 LKR 716

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.82 LKR 4,609

-68.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.80 LKR 1,601

17.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.15 LKR 2,717

9.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$7.58 LKR 2,529

-69.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.32 LKR 106

231.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.71 LKR 903

-44.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.98 LKR 328

40.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.16 LKR 386

-0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.38 LKR 128

205.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.14 LKR 379

-21.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.52 LKR 175

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$10.00 LKR 3,336

-77.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.85 LKR 4,287

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.10 LKR 702

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.93 LKR 977

-15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.32 LKR 107

168.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.38 LKR 127

286.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.33 LKR 109

493.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$0.58 LKR 193

1234.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.19 LKR 398

-20.17%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-30.98%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-22.94%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

37.24%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.22 LKR 1,408

125.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$14.89 LKR 4,967

62.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.26 LKR 1,087

20.55%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$37.16 LKR 12.4K

732.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$435 LKR 145.0K

1271.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$27.63 LKR 9,213

112.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$19.41 LKR 6,473

66.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$69.3 LKR 23.1K

48.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$38.90 LKR 13.0K

178.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$165 LKR 55.1K

188.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$83.1 LKR 27.7K

355.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,671 LKR 557.4K

-49.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$497 LKR 165.7K

45.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.45

-18.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $165 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Hikkaduwa. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $237, 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 Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $872 in Hikkaduwa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $165 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $582 in Hikkaduwa – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.