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: $1,030 in Medellin versus $510 in Horana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $834 in Horana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,157 in Horana.

Living in Medellin is roughly 102% more expensive than Horana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Horana 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$3.96 LKR 1,254

49.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$24.96 LKR 7,900

32.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$8.59 LKR 2,718

-15.60%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.66 LKR 840

-35.71%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.68 LKR 215

60.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.40 LKR 128

92.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.31 LKR 732

-24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.25 LKR 1,029

-2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.78 LKR 562

-40.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.51 LKR 163

154.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.86 LKR 273

60.47%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.16 LKR 684

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$14.34 LKR 4,539

-68.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.77 LKR 1,508

21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$7.95 LKR 2,518

12.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$7.68 LKR 2,430

-70.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.06 LKR 335

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$5.94 LKR 1,882

-74.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.19 LKR 378

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.16 LKR 367

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.37 LKR 432

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.19 LKR 377

-30.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.56 LKR 178

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$10.20 LKR 3,230

-76.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$12.40 LKR 3,924

-10.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.07 LKR 654

-44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$3.00 LKR 949

-17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.41 LKR 131

251.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.33 LKR 104

475.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$0.57 LKR 182

1250.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.20 LKR 379

-14.17%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$26.3K LKR 8.3M

-32.79%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$35.1K LKR 11.1M

-23.14%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$60.4 LKR 19.1K

34.85%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$1.65 LKR 522

470.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$5.07 LKR 1,605

368.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$3.25 LKR 1,029

24.62%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$36.75 LKR 11.6K

750.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$433 LKR 137.0K

1301.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$27.80 LKR 8,800

111.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$19.11 LKR 6,049

71.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$69.6 LKR 22.0K

44.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$38.83 LKR 12.3K

173.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Horana: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $0 in Horana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Medellin vs $25 in Horana. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $259, 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 Horana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Horana is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,544 in Medellin and $765 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 $312 in Medellin versus $36.75 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 $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $510 in Horana versus $1,030 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 102% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.