Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kegalle Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kegalle

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $524 in Kegalle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $858 in Kegalle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,192 in Kegalle.

Living in Medellin is roughly 96% more expensive than in Kegalle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kegalle 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.94 LKR 1,314

52.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$24.76 LKR 8,259

32.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$8.48 LKR 2,829

-12.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.62 LKR 875

-37.02%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.69 LKR 231

55.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.41 LKR 135

85.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.39 LKR 798

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.38 LKR 1,129

-5.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.71 LKR 572

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.52 LKR 172

151.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$0.86 LKR 288

55.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.22 LKR 740

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$13.97 LKR 4,660

-68.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.70 LKR 1,567

21.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$8.08 LKR 2,694

5.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$7.26 LKR 2,422

-67.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.06 LKR 354

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$5.72 LKR 1,907

-73.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.22 LKR 407

12.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.10 LKR 367

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.42 LKR 473

-16.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.14 LKR 381

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.60 LKR 200

43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$10.15 LKR 3,387

-77.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$12.55 LKR 4,186

-7.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.07 LKR 691

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.98 LKR 994

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$0.39 LKR 130

276.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.35 LKR 118

448.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$0.61 LKR 203

1173.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.21 LKR 404

-16.53%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

-33.09%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-22.97%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$59.8 LKR 19.9K

35.62%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$4.46 LKR 1,487

111.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$15.27 LKR 5,092

56.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$3.29 LKR 1,097

24.32%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$36.31 LKR 12.1K

766.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$449 LKR 149.9K

1240.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$28.08 LKR 9,365

112.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$19.34 LKR 6,449

65.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$70.8 LKR 23.6K

43.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$38.94 LKR 13.0K

169.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.45

-18.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kegalle: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Kegalle. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $255, 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 Kegalle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kegalle wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kegalle the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $786 in Kegalle to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $315 in Medellin versus $36.31 in Kegalle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kegalle – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $524 in Kegalle versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kegalle but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kegalle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kegalle delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $524 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kegalle hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kegalle 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 Kegalle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.