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: $1,716 in Medellin versus $466 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $765 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $1,064 in Kurunegala.

Living in Medellin is roughly 268% more expensive than in Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Kurunegala is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$1.80 LKR 591

346.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$24.79 LKR 8,134

94.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.59 LKR 1,505

112.85%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.52 LKR 826

15.48%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.44 LKR 144

340.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.27 LKR 89.5

462.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.21 LKR 726

39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.00 LKR 985

91.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.51 LKR 495

-9.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.44 LKR 146

443.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.80 LKR 262

112.50%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.63 LKR 536

76.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$13.38 LKR 4,391

-25.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.99 LKR 1,636

116.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.54 LKR 2,472

95.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$6.72 LKR 2,206

-39.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.87 LKR 285

80.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$4.27 LKR 1,400

-50.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.23 LKR 405

79.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.02 LKR 335

100.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.77 LKR 251

94.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.91 LKR 297

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.46 LKR 149

152.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$10.42 LKR 3,417

-62.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$13.90 LKR 4,560

3.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.92 LKR 629

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.81 LKR 922

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.39 LKR 127

228.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.31 LKR 102

574.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$0.90 LKR 294

857.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.05 LKR 345

23.81%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$30.2K LKR 9.9M

-8.27%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-15.41%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$54.1 LKR 17.7K

225.69%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$4.30 LKR 1,411

210.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$21.19 LKR 6,952

41.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.31 LKR 1,414

43.85%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$37.64 LKR 12.4K

2007.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$1,219 LKR 399.9K

639.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$20.34 LKR 6,673

320.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$16.97 LKR 5,568

244.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$80.2 LKR 26.3K

69.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$42.13 LKR 13.8K

144.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$152 LKR 50.0K

336.48%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 336% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $236 per month, with Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 268% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 336% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $793 in Medellin versus $37.64 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 $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $466 in Kurunegala versus $1,716 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 268% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.