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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $454 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $758 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,063 in Kurunegala.

Living in Medellin is roughly 123% more expensive than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kurunegala 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.95 LKR 646

207.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$24.83 LKR 8,233

32.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.94 LKR 1,639

43.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.62 LKR 870

-34.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.44 LKR 145

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.37 LKR 124

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.92 LKR 636

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.91 LKR 966

5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.72 LKR 569

-36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.52 LKR 171

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.85 LKR 283

62.35%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.15 LKR 714

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.80 LKR 4,576

-68.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.55 LKR 1,507

23.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.85 LKR 2,603

13.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$7.57 LKR 2,510

-69.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.12 LKR 372

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$5.73 LKR 1,898

-73.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.19 LKR 396

15.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.15 LKR 381

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.43 LKR 473

-18.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.18 LKR 392

-24.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.57 LKR 188

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$9.93 LKR 3,294

-77.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$12.82 LKR 4,252

-17.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.07 LKR 687

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.97 LKR 985

-16.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.32 LKR 106

168.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.39 LKR 129

276.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.35 LKR 117

460.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$0.56 LKR 186

1282.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.26 LKR 419

-24.60%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.4K LKR 8.7M

-31.28%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

-25.12%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$26.63 LKR 8,831

208.86%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$1.96 LKR 650

384.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$15.05 LKR 4,991

61.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$8.18 LKR 2,714

216.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$1.32 LKR 439

197.73%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$36.40 LKR 12.1K

750.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$441 LKR 146.1K

1253.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$11.62 LKR 3,854

404.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$19.62 LKR 6,506

64.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$44.16 LKR 14.6K

132.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$38.27 LKR 12.7K

183.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$99.4 LKR 33.0K

378.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$202 LKR 66.9K

315.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$153 LKR 50.8K

234.02%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $99.4 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 234% 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 $188 vs $255, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 234% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $99.4 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $36.40 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 $454 in Kurunegala versus $1,013 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 123% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.