Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kandana Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kandana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $533 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $853 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,173 in Kandana, rent included.

Medellin costs about 93% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kandana 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.07 LKR 1,357

47.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$25.03 LKR 8,347

31.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$8.32 LKR 2,775

-10.82%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.77 LKR 923

-40.43%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.68 LKR 226

57.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.40 LKR 135

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.35 LKR 785

-26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.43 LKR 1,145

-6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.76 LKR 587

-40.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.52 LKR 172

151.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$0.85 LKR 284

57.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.19 LKR 729

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$13.81 LKR 4,608

-68.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.75 LKR 1,584

19.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$7.93 LKR 2,646

7.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$7.26 LKR 2,422

-67.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.10 LKR 367

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$5.63 LKR 1,878

-73.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.21 LKR 403

13.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.11 LKR 369

3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.41 LKR 471

-16.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.20 LKR 402

-30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.59 LKR 197

45.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$10.03 LKR 3,347

-77.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$12.77 LKR 4,261

-9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.00 LKR 668

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.84 LKR 946

-12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$0.41 LKR 137

258.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.32 LKR 108

500.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$0.61 LKR 205

1173.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.26 LKR 419

-19.84%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

-33.07%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$34.5K LKR 11.5M

-23.29%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$60.0 LKR 20.0K

35.23%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$4.22 LKR 1,406

123.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$15.33 LKR 5,115

55.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$3.25 LKR 1,085

25.85%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$37.27 LKR 12.4K

743.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$448 LKR 149.3K

1245.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$27.99 LKR 9,336

113.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$19.71 LKR 6,573

62.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

43.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

167.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 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 15, 2026

Last update for Kandana: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Kandana. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $255 in Kandana – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kandana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 93%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $800 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $533 in Kandana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $37.27 in Kandana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kandana, where all-in costs run around $533, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Kandana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kandana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kandana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.