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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $590 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,125 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,660 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Medellin is roughly 75% more expensive than in Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Hikkaduwa 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.05 LKR 1,361

52.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$25.51 LKR 8,572

27.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.38 LKR 2,816

-12.41%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.65 LKR 891

-35.09%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.72 LKR 243

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.34 LKR 115

126.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.33 LKR 783

-27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.32 LKR 1,114

-4.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.76 LKR 593

-40.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.52 LKR 176

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.88 LKR 295

59.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.22 LKR 747

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.29 LKR 4,802

-69.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.78 LKR 1,606

23.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.87 LKR 2,645

9.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$7.42 LKR 2,492

-69.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.32 LKR 107

246.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.75 LKR 923

-44.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.98 LKR 331

37.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.16 LKR 391

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.36 LKR 121

213.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.18 LKR 397

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.57 LKR 190

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$10.11 LKR 3,399

-76.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.67 LKR 4,258

-2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.06 LKR 694

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.93 LKR 985

-15.02%

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

$0.42 LKR 141

238.10%

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

$0.60 LKR 203

1176.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.26 LKR 423

-21.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-33.68%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-24.42%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

31.72%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.28 LKR 1,438

132.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.20 LKR 5,108

59.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.26 LKR 1,096

22.09%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

714.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$440 LKR 147.8K

1277.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.50 LKR 9,240

111.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.44 LKR 6,532

65.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$69.8 LKR 23.4K

44.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$39.04 LKR 13.1K

176.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$169 LKR 56.9K

181.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$83.5 LKR 28.1K

350.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,689 LKR 567.7K

-50.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$497 LKR 167.0K

46.95%

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

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $169 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 $193 vs $238, 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, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $885 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: $477 in Medellin versus $169 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $590 in Hikkaduwa – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $590 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,031 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 75% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.