Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Maharagama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Maharagama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $131 in Maharagama, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Maharagama $131

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $246 in Maharagama, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Maharagama $246

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $361 in Maharagama, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Maharagama $361

Medellin costs about 1194% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Maharagama is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$5.30 LKR 1,761

57.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.1K

$20.24 LKR 6,733

129.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.5K

$6.67 LKR 2,220

41.98%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$2.11 LKR 702

48.34%

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

$1.77 COP 5,696

$0.64 LKR 213

176.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,594

$0.29 LKR 95.3

389.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,943

$0.87 LKR 288

75.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,389

$0.23 LKR 76.1

895.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,273

$0.50 LKR 167

288.00%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,889

$1.42 LKR 474

116.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.0K

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,929

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,786

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,397

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,803

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,512

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,774

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,096

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,682

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,746

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,805

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,827

$0.44 LKR 146

311.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,867

$0.46 LKR 154

363.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,113

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

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

$34.1K COP 110.1M

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

$178 COP 573.2K

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

$4.55 LKR 1,514

205.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.1K

$13.38 LKR 4,450

129.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

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

$790 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$198 LKR 65.9K

896.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$240 LKR 79.7K

169.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Medellin are about 2.7 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $20 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $19 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

03:51 3:51 AM

14:21 2:21 PM

10 h 30 min ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

196,400

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,624 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 374 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Maharagama 16,930 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

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Medellin
Maharagama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1194%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $196 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1549% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $20 in Maharagama. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maharagama costs $131 versus $1,692 in Medellin. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.