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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $456 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $781 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,106 in Maharagama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 126% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Maharagama 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.87 LKR 630

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.48 LKR 160

170.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.78 LKR 261

79.49%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.05 LKR 690

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$16.31 LKR 5,482

-73.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.73 LKR 1,927

2.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.68 LKR 3,587

-19.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$11.88 LKR 3,992

-80.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.25 LKR 419

-11.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$10.23 LKR 3,437

-85.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.88 LKR 632

-28.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.19 LKR 399

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.15 LKR 385

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.57 LKR 529

-45.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.62 LKR 207

46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$9.65 LKR 3,241

-75.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.03 LKR 681

-40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.13 LKR 1,053

-20.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$3.29 LKR 1,107

1133.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.34 LKR 116

317.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.29 LKR 96.7

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.37 LKR 459

-27.74%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$54.5 LKR 18.3K

48.17%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.25 LKR 1,094

206.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$12.62 LKR 4,241

91.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$13.31 LKR 4,473

88.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.11 LKR 1,717

-22.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$67.8 LKR 22.8K

350.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$510 LKR 171.4K

1088.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$25.18 LKR 8,462

130.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$13.63 LKR 4,579

136.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$54.3 LKR 18.3K

85.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

81.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$166 LKR 55.9K

408.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$118 LKR 39.6K

520.26%

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

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: July 12, 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 126%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $684 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 1133% less in Maharagama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 54% 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 $456, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.