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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $520 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $833 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,147 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 93% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Kolonnawa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.09 LKR 1,370

44.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$24.71 LKR 8,280

33.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$8.12 LKR 2,721

-8.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.76 LKR 923

-40.22%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.68 LKR 228

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.41 LKR 136

90.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.31 LKR 773

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.43 LKR 1,148

-7.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.68 LKR 564

-34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.53 LKR 176

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.72 LKR 240

91.67%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.11 LKR 706

3.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.26 LKR 2,766

-45.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.64 LKR 1,553

24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.22 LKR 2,753

9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$7.60 LKR 2,548

-69.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.12 LKR 375

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$5.82 LKR 1,949

-73.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.21 LKR 404

12.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.10 LKR 369

2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.41 LKR 472

-17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.16 LKR 388

-22.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.48 LKR 161

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$9.94 LKR 3,330

-77.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$10.28 LKR 3,443

17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.96 LKR 657

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.33 LKR 781

6.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.38 LKR 128

273.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.33 LKR 110

490.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$0.61 LKR 204

1193.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.25 LKR 419

-20.80%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-33.93%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$34.2K LKR 11.5M

-21.63%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

40.36%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$4.25 LKR 1,423

128.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$15.11 LKR 5,062

55.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$10.22 LKR 3,426

147.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$1.70 LKR 571

1023.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$3.37 LKR 1,128

17.21%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$37.46 LKR 12.6K

743.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$439 LKR 147.0K

1261.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$27.58 LKR 9,241

117.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$19.31 LKR 6,471

64.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$69.6 LKR 23.3K

46.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

179.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Kolonnawa. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $232 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 93% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $780 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $520 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $37.46 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 $520, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $520 versus $1,003 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.