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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $551 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $860 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,169 in Kandy.

Living in Medellin is roughly 85% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kandy 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$2.82 LKR 950

110.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$11.83 LKR 3,988

181.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$6.58 LKR 2,216

9.88%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.56 LKR 861

-36.33%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.65 LKR 217

67.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.33 LKR 110

121.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.15 LKR 726

-19.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.43 LKR 1,154

-5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.40 LKR 472

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.52 LKR 175

148.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$0.85 LKR 287

55.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$2.19 LKR 737

3.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$8.48 LKR 2,859

-48.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$4.64 LKR 1,565

26.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$8.15 LKR 2,746

5.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$4.42 LKR 1,491

-49.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.02 LKR 345

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$3.63 LKR 1,222

-58.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$1.21 LKR 408

17.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.16 LKR 390

0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.30 LKR 439

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.74 LKR 248

20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.55 LKR 186

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$9.30 LKR 3,134

-75.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$11.32 LKR 3,815

-2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.99 LKR 671

-42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$2.77 LKR 934

-14.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.17 LKR 58.1

394.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$14.86 LKR 5,009

182.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.39 LKR 130

261.54%

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

$0.44 LKR 148

1661.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.25 LKR 423

-19.20%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

-2.04%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

24.86%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

105.00%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$4.26 LKR 1,437

121.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$15.41 LKR 5,194

56.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$14.86 LKR 5,006

70.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$5.62 LKR 1,895

240.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$3.33 LKR 1,122

23.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

731.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$328 LKR 110.5K

1727.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$27.01 LKR 9,102

114.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$14.32 LKR 4,826

127.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

75.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$29.20 LKR 9,841

271.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$131 LKR 44.3K

267.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

355.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$217 LKR 73.0K

286.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$160 LKR 53.8K

353.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$401 LKR 135.2K

607.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$394 LKR 132.8K

210.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$260 LKR 87.6K

108.07%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kandy: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $131 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 108% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $207, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 108% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $131 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $551 in Kandy – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 182% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $551 in Kandy versus $1,017 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 85% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.