Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kolonnawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kolonnawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $506 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $836 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,166 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 103% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$4.04 LKR 1,278

46.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$24.90 LKR 7,882

33.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$8.53 LKR 2,699

-15.01%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.66 LKR 841

-35.71%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.68 LKR 216

60.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.40 LKR 128

92.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.30 LKR 728

-23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.33 LKR 1,054

-4.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.70 LKR 539

-37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.53 LKR 166

145.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.70 LKR 222

97.14%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.14 LKR 676

3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$8.53 LKR 2,700

-47.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.80 LKR 1,519

20.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$8.25 LKR 2,611

8.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$7.38 LKR 2,335

-68.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.11 LKR 350

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$5.73 LKR 1,813

-73.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.26 LKR 400

7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.15 LKR 364

0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.38 LKR 437

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.19 LKR 378

-30.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.52 LKR 164

63.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$10.24 LKR 3,241

-77.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$10.98 LKR 3,475

1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.04 LKR 645

-43.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.35 LKR 744

5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.39 LKR 123

269.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.33 LKR 104

475.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$0.58 LKR 182

1227.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.20 LKR 380

-14.17%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

-33.17%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-23.37%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

34.14%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$4.38 LKR 1,386

115.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$14.88 LKR 4,710

59.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$10.09 LKR 3,193

156.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$1.65 LKR 522

1072.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$3.37 LKR 1,067

20.18%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

734.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$435 LKR 137.7K

1294.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$27.11 LKR 8,580

117.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$19.14 LKR 6,057

71.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

46.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

175.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $0 in Kolonnawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $25 in Kolonnawa. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $235 in Kolonnawa – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 103% more than Kolonnawa, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $759 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $506 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $37.43 in Kolonnawa. 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 Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $506, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Kolonnawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $506 versus $1,030 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kolonnawa. 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.