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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $483 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $805 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,128 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 240% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Kolonnawa is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.46 LKR 1,464

80.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$25.94 LKR 8,523

86.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.51 LKR 2,468

25.43%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.56 LKR 841

14.84%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.73 LKR 241

154.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.25 LKR 81.9

484.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.20 LKR 723

45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.14 LKR 1,032

81.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.65 LKR 541

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.56 LKR 184

328.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.59 LKR 193

188.14%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.67 LKR 550

73.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.52 LKR 3,456

-4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.50 LKR 1,478

121.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.12 LKR 2,340

99.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$7.00 LKR 2,299

-43.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.89 LKR 291

77.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$4.37 LKR 1,436

-50.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.24 LKR 407

85.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.02 LKR 334

96.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.76 LKR 251

98.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.88 LKR 290

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.44 LKR 145

190.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$10.55 LKR 3,467

-63.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$10.57 LKR 3,472

32.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.78 LKR 586

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.25 LKR 738

21.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.15 LKR 50.2

733.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.42 LKR 137

211.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.36 LKR 118

502.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$0.87 LKR 287

852.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.35 LKR 443

0.74%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-8.43%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

-12.87%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$55.0 LKR 18.1K

206.93%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$4.24 LKR 1,394

220.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$21.30 LKR 7,000

32.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.49 LKR 1,475

48.11%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$37.65 LKR 12.4K

2033.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

646.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$19.88 LKR 6,533

339.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$16.84 LKR 5,533

252.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$80.0 LKR 26.3K

73.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$42.07 LKR 13.8K

142.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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 7, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $218 – making Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 240% 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $724 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $483 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $37.65 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 $483, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $483 versus $1,641 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.