Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kandy Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kandy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $516 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $736 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $956 in Kandy.

Living in Medellin is roughly 218% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Kandy is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.75 LKR 904

192.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$12.92 LKR 4,246

273.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.98 LKR 1,964

57.53%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.99 LKR 654

47.74%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.51 LKR 167

264.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.26 LKR 85.5

461.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.86 LKR 612

72.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.85 LKR 937

100.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.16 LKR 383

24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.49 LKR 161

389.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.78 LKR 258

117.95%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.60 LKR 527

80.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$5.24 LKR 1,721

91.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.30 LKR 1,412

131.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$6.89 LKR 2,265

106.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.08 LKR 1,012

29.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.89 LKR 292

77.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.72 LKR 564

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.27 LKR 418

81.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.99 LKR 326

102.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.81 LKR 266

86.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.48 LKR 158

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.45 LKR 147

184.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$7.75 LKR 2,548

-50.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.53 LKR 3,788

21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.99 LKR 654

-14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.04 LKR 669

34.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.16 LKR 53.3

681.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$4.68 LKR 1,538

1564.53%

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

$0.47 LKR 156

1663.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.12 LKR 368

21.43%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

94.18%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

-2.65%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

206.37%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$4.11 LKR 1,351

230.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$12.67 LKR 4,164

123.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$11.02 LKR 3,620

314.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$6.68 LKR 2,193

157.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$2.89 LKR 950

130.10%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$21.41 LKR 7,036

3652.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$305 LKR 100.3K

2911.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$20.30 LKR 6,671

330.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$10.30 LKR 3,386

476.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

101.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$26.80 LKR 8,805

280.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$174 LKR 57.0K

516.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$116 LKR 38.1K

462.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$177 LKR 58.2K

986.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

980.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$414 LKR 135.9K

896.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$406 LKR 133.5K

317.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$263 LKR 86.5K

148.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $174 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 149% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $13.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $167 per month, with Kandy 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 218% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 149% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $174 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $516 in Kandy – a 218% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 1565% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $516 in Kandy versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kandy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 218% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.