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: $1,030 in Medellin versus $549 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $862 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,175 in Kandy.

Living in Medellin is roughly 87% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kandy 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$2.77 LKR 877

113.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$11.69 LKR 3,700

183.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$6.60 LKR 2,087

9.85%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.61 LKR 825

-34.48%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.61 LKR 193

78.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.30 LKR 94.5

156.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.12 LKR 670

-17.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.37 LKR 1,067

-5.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.45 LKR 458

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.56 LKR 177

132.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.87 LKR 275

58.62%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.13 LKR 674

3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$8.95 LKR 2,832

-49.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.77 LKR 1,511

21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$8.12 LKR 2,570

10.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$4.64 LKR 1,467

-50.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.02 LKR 324

3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$3.63 LKR 1,150

-58.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.26 LKR 398

7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.14 LKR 362

1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.23 LKR 390

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.77 LKR 245

7.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.56 LKR 177

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$9.25 LKR 2,928

-74.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$12.05 LKR 3,814

-7.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.06 LKR 652

-44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.71 LKR 858

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.17 LKR 55.3

364.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$15.20 LKR 4,810

175.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.42 LKR 132

242.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.35 LKR 111

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$0.40 LKR 128

1825.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.21 LKR 384

-14.88%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

0.03%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

27.69%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

101.14%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$4.27 LKR 1,353

120.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$14.97 LKR 4,737

58.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$15.12 LKR 4,784

71.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$5.82 LKR 1,841

232.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$3.40 LKR 1,077

19.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

752.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$321 LKR 101.5K

1792.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$27.83 LKR 8,808

111.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$14.44 LKR 4,569

127.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

75.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$29.77 LKR 9,423

256.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$132 LKR 41.9K

269.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

334.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$221 LKR 69.8K

280.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$161 LKR 51.0K

343.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$428 LKR 135.3K

590.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$417 LKR 132.0K

234.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$277 LKR 87.6K

92.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kandy: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $132 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 92% 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: $33 in Medellin vs $12 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $213, 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 92% more on average, 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: $490 in Medellin versus $132 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,030 per month in Medellin versus $549 in Kandy – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 175% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $549 in Kandy versus $1,030 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 87% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.