Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kurunegala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kurunegala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $442 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $760 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,079 in Kurunegala.

Living in Medellin is roughly 133% more expensive than in Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kurunegala 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.88 LKR 632

227.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$25.46 LKR 8,556

28.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.92 LKR 1,655

49.19%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.74 LKR 920

-37.23%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.44 LKR 148

138.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.38 LKR 128

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.98 LKR 665

-14.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.95 LKR 991

7.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.68 LKR 566

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.52 LKR 173

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.88 LKR 295

59.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.11 LKR 709

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.17 LKR 4,763

-69.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.55 LKR 1,530

29.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.16 LKR 2,742

5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$7.58 LKR 2,549

-69.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.11 LKR 374

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$5.81 LKR 1,951

-73.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.26 LKR 424

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.11 LKR 375

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.43 LKR 479

-20.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.16 LKR 389

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.61 LKR 204

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$9.96 LKR 3,346

-76.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.42 LKR 4,175

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.06 LKR 694

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.97 LKR 999

-16.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.32 LKR 107

162.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.38 LKR 129

273.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.33 LKR 110

481.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$0.58 LKR 194

1220.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.22 LKR 409

-18.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

-31.67%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-24.83%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$26.71 LKR 8,977

202.55%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$1.96 LKR 659

407.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$14.90 LKR 5,008

62.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$8.61 LKR 2,892

191.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$1.31 LKR 440

203.82%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$36.92 LKR 12.4K

726.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$443 LKR 148.7K

1268.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$11.61 LKR 3,900

400.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.16 LKR 6,439

68.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$44.17 LKR 14.8K

128.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$38.28 LKR 12.9K

181.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$102 LKR 34.2K

368.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$198 LKR 66.5K

326.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$150 LKR 50.4K

311.47%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $102 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 311% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Kurunegala. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $257, 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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 311% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $102 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $36.92 in Kurunegala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurunegala – 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 $442 in Kurunegala versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kurunegala but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kurunegala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kurunegala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.