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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $535 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $854 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $1,173 in Kandy.

Living in Medellin is roughly 90% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kandy 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$2.75 LKR 924

115.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$11.88 LKR 3,992

178.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$6.36 LKR 2,138

11.95%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$2.63 LKR 885

-34.98%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$0.60 LKR 201

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$0.32 LKR 109

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$2.13 LKR 716

-19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.37 LKR 1,134

-5.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.41 LKR 473

-24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$0.52 LKR 173

151.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$0.86 LKR 289

54.65%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$2.17 LKR 729

5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$8.61 LKR 2,894

-48.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$4.53 LKR 1,524

30.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.97 LKR 2,680

8.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$4.48 LKR 1,507

-47.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$0.97 LKR 327

13.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$3.77 LKR 1,266

-61.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$1.21 LKR 405

14.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$1.16 LKR 391

0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$1.25 LKR 420

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$0.78 LKR 262

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$0.56 LKR 188

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$9.28 LKR 3,119

-74.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$11.47 LKR 3,854

3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$2.10 LKR 705

-45.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$2.74 LKR 921

-11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$0.18 LKR 59.6

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$15.28 LKR 5,136

167.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$0.39 LKR 130

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$0.33 LKR 110

478.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$0.43 LKR 146

1720.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$1.25 LKR 421

-24.80%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

0.33%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

25.02%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

105.17%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$4.37 LKR 1,470

121.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$15.38 LKR 5,170

57.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$14.79 LKR 4,970

70.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$5.71 LKR 1,919

238.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$3.42 LKR 1,150

19.01%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

741.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$324 LKR 108.9K

1745.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$27.66 LKR 9,298

116.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$14.38 LKR 4,833

127.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

80.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

258.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$136 LKR 45.9K

248.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

354.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$219 LKR 73.6K

272.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$161 LKR 54.2K

338.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$392 LKR 131.9K

713.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$399 LKR 134.2K

262.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$261 LKR 87.6K

138.63%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $136 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 139% 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 $192 vs $208, 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 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 139% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $136 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,018 per month in Medellin versus $535 in Kandy – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 167% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $535 in Kandy versus $1,018 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 90% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.