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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $510 in Horana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $843 in Horana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $1,176 in Horana.

Living in Medellin is roughly 99% more expensive than in Horana, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$3.96 LKR 1,331

49.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$24.67 LKR 8,293

34.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$8.17 LKR 2,748

-12.85%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$2.63 LKR 884

-34.98%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$0.72 LKR 243

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.41 LKR 137

75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$2.39 LKR 803

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.26 LKR 1,095

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$1.76 LKR 592

-39.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$0.56 LKR 190

133.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$0.87 LKR 291

52.87%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$2.16 LKR 726

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$14.16 LKR 4,762

-68.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$4.55 LKR 1,531

30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.87 LKR 2,645

9.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$7.26 LKR 2,440

-67.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$1.10 LKR 371

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$5.92 LKR 1,990

-75.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$1.21 LKR 405

14.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$1.14 LKR 384

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$1.42 LKR 479

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$1.20 LKR 404

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.59 LKR 199

42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$9.98 LKR 3,356

-76.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$12.39 LKR 4,165

-3.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.04 LKR 685

-43.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$2.94 LKR 988

-17.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$0.38 LKR 129

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$0.35 LKR 118

445.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$0.62 LKR 208

1162.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.25 LKR 421

-24.80%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

-32.85%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$34.4K LKR 11.6M

-21.37%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$61.2 LKR 20.6K

35.98%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$1.72 LKR 577

461.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$5.12 LKR 1,721

373.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$3.44 LKR 1,156

18.31%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$36.68 LKR 12.3K

735.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$440 LKR 147.9K

1259.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$27.75 LKR 9,329

116.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$19.60 LKR 6,588

66.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$70.8 LKR 23.8K

42.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$38.27 LKR 12.9K

182.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 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 20, 2026

Last update for Horana: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Horana. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 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 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,527 in Medellin and $766 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 $307 in Medellin versus $36.68 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 $1,018 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 99% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.