Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kataragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kataragama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $514 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $840 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,167 in Kataragama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 227% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kataragama is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.33 LKR 1,431

85.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$25.82 LKR 8,537

85.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.48 LKR 2,475

32.22%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.54 LKR 841

23.23%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.73 LKR 241

161.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.27 LKR 89.8

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.19 LKR 724

42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.03 LKR 1,001

89.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.57 LKR 519

-8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.57 LKR 188

336.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.79 LKR 261

124.05%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.60 LKR 530

85.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.41 LKR 4,435

-24.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.12 LKR 1,694

97.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.24 LKR 2,395

97.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.97 LKR 2,306

-40.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.90 LKR 297

78.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.20 LKR 1,388

-46.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.24 LKR 410

81.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.02 LKR 337

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.76 LKR 253

102.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.90 LKR 297

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.49 LKR 161

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.45 LKR 3,455

-62.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.91 LKR 4,598

0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.90 LKR 628

-8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.80 LKR 925

2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.42 LKR 138

211.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.38 LKR 127

476.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.92 LKR 306

846.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.32 LKR 438

3.79%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$30.8K LKR 10.2M

-9.76%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$42.4K LKR 14.0M

-15.61%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

214.98%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$4.22 LKR 1,394

228.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$21.22 LKR 7,016

40.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.41 LKR 1,457

50.79%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$38.81 LKR 12.8K

1994.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,230 LKR 406.8K

646.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$20.01 LKR 6,616

347.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.47 LKR 5,447

258.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$79.0 LKR 26.1K

74.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$43.14 LKR 14.3K

136.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.69

-13.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $239 – making Kataragama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 227% more than Kataragama, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $771 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $514 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $38.81 in Kataragama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $514, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Kataragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $514 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kataragama. 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.