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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $507 in Kegalle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $807 in Kegalle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,107 in Kegalle.

Living in Medellin is roughly 233% more expensive than in Kegalle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Kegalle is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.37 LKR 1,442

80.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$25.12 LKR 8,287

77.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.39 LKR 2,439

25.71%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.36 LKR 778

22.88%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.64 LKR 212

182.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.25 LKR 82.0

520.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.18 LKR 718

49.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.02 LKR 995

94.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.60 LKR 527

-13.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.47 LKR 154

421.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.76 LKR 250

98.68%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.59 LKR 523

74.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$12.77 LKR 4,212

-29.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.73 LKR 1,559

125.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.09 LKR 2,340

106.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$6.74 LKR 2,223

-41.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.80 LKR 265

72.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$4.46 LKR 1,470

-48.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.27 LKR 418

59.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.02 LKR 337

104.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.74 LKR 245

120.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.86 LKR 285

25.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.45 LKR 148

177.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$10.34 LKR 3,411

-61.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.53 LKR 4,463

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.92 LKR 634

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.58 LKR 851

16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.38 LKR 125

323.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.37 LKR 123

475.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$0.86 LKR 282

890.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.29 LKR 425

4.65%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$29.5K LKR 9.7M

-3.89%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$39.7K LKR 13.1M

-10.06%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$51.6 LKR 17.0K

193.20%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$4.07 LKR 1,343

221.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$20.64 LKR 6,810

56.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.14 LKR 1,366

55.31%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$36.99 LKR 12.2K

2156.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$1,210 LKR 399.3K

634.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$20.04 LKR 6,611

345.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$16.37 LKR 5,400

237.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$78.4 LKR 25.9K

74.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$41.29 LKR 13.6K

164.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

12.69

-17.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kegalle: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Kegalle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $231 per month, with Kegalle cheaper across the board.

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 233% 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 $2,530 in Medellin and $760 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 $835 in Medellin versus $36.99 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 $45.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $507 in Kegalle versus $1,687 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 $507 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 233% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.