Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Horana Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Horana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $501 in Horana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $832 in Horana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,164 in Horana.

Living in Medellin is roughly 228% more expensive than in Horana, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Horana is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.52 LKR 1,487

77.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$25.53 LKR 8,389

89.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.43 LKR 2,441

26.78%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.44 LKR 801

20.49%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.74 LKR 243

151.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.25 LKR 81.5

484.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.19 LKR 720

46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.11 LKR 1,021

83.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.63 LKR 534

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.53 LKR 175

352.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.80 LKR 262

112.50%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.60 LKR 525

80.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.38 LKR 4,396

-24.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.97 LKR 1,632

100.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.40 LKR 2,430

91.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$6.69 LKR 2,197

-40.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.88 LKR 290

79.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$4.31 LKR 1,417

-50.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.30 LKR 426

76.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.05 LKR 344

90.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.80 LKR 262

88.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.88 LKR 290

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.49 LKR 161

161.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$10.57 LKR 3,474

-63.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$13.77 LKR 4,523

1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.92 LKR 629

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.81 LKR 922

-2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.42 LKR 138

211.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.38 LKR 126

471.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$0.90 LKR 295

821.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.29 LKR 424

5.43%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

-11.34%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$41.8K LKR 13.7M

-12.68%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$54.3 LKR 17.8K

210.83%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$4.21 LKR 1,384

222.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$20.72 LKR 6,807

36.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.47 LKR 1,467

48.77%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$37.56 LKR 12.3K

2038.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$1,198 LKR 393.7K

667.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$20.15 LKR 6,622

333.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$16.71 LKR 5,491

255.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

74.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$42.10 LKR 13.8K

142.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.69

-13.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Horana: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Horana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $238 per month, with Horana cheaper across the board.

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 Horana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Horana is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 228% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $751 in Horana 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.

Childcare runs $803 in Medellin versus $37.56 in Horana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Horana – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $501 in Horana versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Horana but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Horana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Horana 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 Horana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 228% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.