Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maharagama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maharagama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $463 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $786 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,109 in Maharagama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 119% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Maharagama 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.85 LKR 618

-41.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.52 LKR 175

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.79 LKR 262

74.68%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.04 LKR 681

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$15.89 LKR 5,299

-72.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.75 LKR 1,917

-2.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$11.04 LKR 3,681

-19.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$11.82 LKR 3,940

-80.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.19 LKR 397

-10.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$10.07 LKR 3,358

-85.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.81 LKR 603

-23.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.15 LKR 385

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.20 LKR 401

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.57 LKR 525

-43.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.58 LKR 193

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$9.63 LKR 3,211

-76.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.03 LKR 675

-40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.09 LKR 1,030

-20.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$3.39 LKR 1,132

1121.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.32 LKR 106

359.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.29 LKR 95.2

575.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.42 LKR 472

-33.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$53.4 LKR 17.8K

54.11%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$3.43 LKR 1,143

176.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$12.48 LKR 4,163

94.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$13.51 LKR 4,507

91.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.07 LKR 1,690

-22.49%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$67.5 LKR 22.5K

358.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$512 LKR 170.8K

1064.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$25.25 LKR 8,422

132.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$13.32 LKR 4,441

142.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$54.4 LKR 18.1K

88.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$59.1 LKR 19.7K

83.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$168 LKR 56.1K

398.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$116 LKR 38.7K

524.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-21.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: May 31, 2026

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 119%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $694 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 1121% less in Maharagama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 57% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $463, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maharagama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Maharagama. 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.