Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mirissa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mirissa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $665 in Mirissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $923 in Mirissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,182 in Mirissa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Mirissa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Mirissa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mirissa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.96 LKR 943

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$25.16 LKR 8,024

30.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.18 LKR 2,609

-11.98%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.53 LKR 807

-32.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.59 LKR 188

86.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.41 LKR 129

75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.39 LKR 762

-30.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.07 LKR 978

0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.75 LKR 559

-39.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.56 LKR 179

123.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.87 LKR 279

59.77%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.11 LKR 673

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.02 LKR 4,472

-69.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.69 LKR 1,495

24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.21 LKR 2,619

7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.26 LKR 2,316

-69.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.06 LKR 339

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.66 LKR 1,806

-72.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.27 LKR 404

7.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.15 LKR 367

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.38 LKR 440

-18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.16 LKR 370

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.57 LKR 181

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$9.96 LKR 3,176

-76.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.51 LKR 3,990

-11.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.04 LKR 651

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.00 LKR 956

-21.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.42 LKR 133

242.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.33 LKR 104

478.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.52 LKR 166

1442.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.19 LKR 379

-21.01%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.1K LKR 8.6M

-33.86%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$35.4K LKR 11.3M

-24.30%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$61.1 LKR 19.5K

37.37%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.26 LKR 1,039

194.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.28 LKR 4,873

58.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.33 LKR 1,061

17.72%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.23 LKR 11.6K

745.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$443 LKR 141.2K

1237.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.21 LKR 8,677

112.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.11 LKR 6,094

66.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$68.6 LKR 21.9K

45.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.95 LKR 12.4K

175.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$244 LKR 77.9K

99.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$152 LKR 48.5K

142.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$577 LKR 184.0K

43.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mirissa: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $244 in Mirissa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Mirissa. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $256 in Mirissa – 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 Mirissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $998 in Mirissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Mirissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mirissa, where all-in costs run around $665, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Mirissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mirissa – 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 Mirissa. 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.