Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Katunayaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Katunayaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $504 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $831 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,158 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Medellin costs about 233% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Katunayaka is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.53 LKR 1,497

77.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$25.97 LKR 8,588

84.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.81 LKR 2,583

26.63%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.47 LKR 817

26.72%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.74 LKR 244

158.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 LKR 82.7

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.28 LKR 754

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.12 LKR 1,033

84.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.56 LKR 517

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.52 LKR 173

378.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.81 LKR 267

118.52%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.68 LKR 554

76.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.22 LKR 4,372

-23.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.02 LKR 1,659

101.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.19 LKR 2,378

98.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.64 LKR 2,194

-37.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.90 LKR 297

78.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.31 LKR 1,427

-47.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.27 LKR 422

77.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.02 LKR 336

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.81 LKR 267

90.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.89 LKR 293

31.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.45 LKR 150

191.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.48 LKR 3,465

-62.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.99 LKR 4,625

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.91 LKR 631

-8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.83 LKR 935

1.41%

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

$0.39 LKR 127

235.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.36 LKR 118

508.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.88 LKR 292

889.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.34 LKR 443

2.24%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$30.5K LKR 10.1M

-8.73%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

-17.04%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$56.1 LKR 18.5K

216.16%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$4.22 LKR 1,397

228.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$20.66 LKR 6,832

43.85%

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

$4.48 LKR 1,482

48.44%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$38.01 LKR 12.6K

2038.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,202 LKR 397.4K

664.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$19.74 LKR 6,527

353.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.46 LKR 5,443

258.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$79.6 LKR 26.3K

73.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$42.72 LKR 14.1K

139.07%

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 Katunayaka: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Katunayaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $236 – making Katunayaka 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 Katunayaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 233%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $756 in Katunayaka. 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 $504 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $38.01 in Katunayaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Katunayaka, where all-in costs run around $504, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Katunayaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Katunayaka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Katunayaka. 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.