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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $522 in Horana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $841 in Horana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,160 in Horana.

Living in Medellin is roughly 95% more expensive than Horana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Horana 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$3.92 LKR 1,321

51.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$24.66 LKR 8,312

35.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$8.23 LKR 2,772

-12.15%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.68 LKR 902

-39.18%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.73 LKR 244

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.41 LKR 137

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.28 LKR 769

-23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.42 LKR 1,153

-5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.73 LKR 582

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.56 LKR 190

130.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$0.87 LKR 294

51.72%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$2.22 LKR 748

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$14.06 LKR 4,737

-69.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$4.72 LKR 1,592

24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$8.02 LKR 2,703

7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$7.31 LKR 2,465

-69.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.11 LKR 374

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$5.77 LKR 1,944

-73.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$1.26 LKR 425

12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.11 LKR 373

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.36 LKR 458

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$1.18 LKR 399

-24.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.59 LKR 199

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$10.19 LKR 3,434

-77.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$12.50 LKR 4,214

-11.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.03 LKR 685

-43.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$2.87 LKR 968

-17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.38 LKR 128

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.33 LKR 110

475.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$0.56 LKR 190

1283.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.25 LKR 422

-19.20%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

-33.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-23.11%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$59.3 LKR 20.0K

41.16%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$1.71 LKR 575

452.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$5.14 LKR 1,732

369.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$3.31 LKR 1,116

23.87%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$37.10 LKR 12.5K

740.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$449 LKR 151.4K

1234.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$27.86 LKR 9,390

108.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$19.55 LKR 6,590

66.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$69.9 LKR 23.6K

42.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$38.27 LKR 12.9K

183.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Horana: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Horana. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $256, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $782 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 $37.10 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 $522 in Horana versus $1,017 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 95% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.