Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matara Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $583 in Matara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $928 in Matara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,272 in Matara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 74% more than Matara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Matara are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Matara 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.47 LKR 825

140.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$24.67 LKR 8,231

35.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.45 LKR 2,817

-14.44%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.77 LKR 923

-41.16%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.69 LKR 232

57.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.38 LKR 125

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.38 LKR 794

-26.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.31 LKR 1,104

-2.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.73 LKR 577

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.55 LKR 185

134.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.86 LKR 287

53.49%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.13 LKR 711

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$14.00 LKR 4,670

-68.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.55 LKR 1,517

29.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.88 LKR 2,628

9.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$7.65 LKR 2,553

-70.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.53 LKR 176

101.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$5.88 LKR 1,962

-74.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.65 LKR 217

118.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.83 LKR 276

40.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.49 LKR 162

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.15 LKR 384

-22.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.57 LKR 190

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$10.01 LKR 3,340

-77.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$12.85 LKR 4,286

-14.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.10 LKR 702

-45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.87 LKR 959

-17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.16 LKR 54.7

425.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.39 LKR 130

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.33 LKR 109

475.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$0.57 LKR 191

1259.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.21 LKR 402

-16.53%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-34.37%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-24.38%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$25.92 LKR 8,645

222.84%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.26 LKR 1,423

121.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$5.11 LKR 1,706

371.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.43 LKR 1,144

19.53%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$37.26 LKR 12.4K

737.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$445 LKR 148.3K

1248.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.74 LKR 9,252

109.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.47 LKR 6,494

67.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

42.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

184.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$167 LKR 55.7K

188.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$119 LKR 39.5K

220.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$494 LKR 164.7K

69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$169 LKR 56.5K

327.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$106 LKR 35.2K

412.09%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Matara: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $167 in Matara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 412% higher in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Matara. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $248 in Matara – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Matara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $875 in Matara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $583 in Matara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $37.26 in Matara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Matara, where all-in costs run around $583, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Matara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matara – 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 Matara. 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.