Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Homagama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Homagama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $514 in Homagama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $809 in Homagama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,104 in Homagama.

Living in Medellin is roughly 98% more expensive than Homagama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Homagama 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.97 LKR 1,325

49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$25.35 LKR 8,455

31.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.28 LKR 2,763

-12.68%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.74 LKR 915

-40.51%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.68 LKR 226

60.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.41 LKR 135

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.28 LKR 761

-23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.28 LKR 1,094

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.35 LKR 449

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.52 LKR 172

148.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.65 LKR 217

103.08%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.99 LKR 664

14.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$14.29 LKR 4,768

-69.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.05 LKR 1,349

45.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.27 LKR 2,760

4.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$7.36 LKR 2,455

-69.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.01 LKR 337

5.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$5.91 LKR 1,970

-74.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.20 LKR 401

18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.10 LKR 368

6.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.02 LKR 341

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.16 LKR 386

-23.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.48 LKR 159

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$10.12 LKR 3,377

-77.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.75 LKR 3,920

-6.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.99 LKR 663

-42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.30 LKR 769

3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.52 LKR 175

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.39 LKR 129

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.33 LKR 110

475.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$0.56 LKR 187

1283.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.26 LKR 420

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$15.3K LKR 5.1M

14.85%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.1K LKR 7.7M

14.66%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$23.66 LKR 7,891

253.68%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.44 LKR 1,147

174.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.36 LKR 5,123

56.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$6.74 LKR 2,249

275.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$3.41 LKR 1,138

461.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.33 LKR 1,110

23.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

761.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$438 LKR 146.1K

1268.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.19 LKR 9,069

113.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$13.53 LKR 4,514

140.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$26.27 LKR 8,763

279.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$30.51 LKR 10.2K

255.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$109 LKR 36.2K

344.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$50.5 LKR 16.9K

651.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$150 LKR 50.1K

260.03%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Homagama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $109 in Homagama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 260% 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 $25.00 in Homagama. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $243, 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 Homagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Homagama is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 260% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $109 in Homagama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $36.19 in Homagama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Homagama – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $514 in Homagama versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homagama but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Homagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Homagama 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Homagama are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Homagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.