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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $665 in Mirissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $915 in Mirissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,166 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.96 LKR 985

102.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$25.08 LKR 8,352

30.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.46 LKR 2,816

-12.29%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.53 LKR 843

-34.78%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.56 LKR 186

91.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.41 LKR 135

85.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.32 LKR 774

-25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.08 LKR 1,024

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.76 LKR 586

-40.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.53 LKR 175

147.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.86 LKR 287

55.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.14 LKR 713

2.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$13.88 LKR 4,622

-68.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.77 LKR 1,589

19.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.99 LKR 2,661

6.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$7.31 LKR 2,435

-67.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.07 LKR 355

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$5.92 LKR 1,972

-74.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.26 LKR 419

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.11 LKR 370

3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.38 LKR 459

-14.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.14 LKR 380

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.59 LKR 197

45.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$10.08 LKR 3,357

-77.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.96 LKR 4,315

-10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.01 LKR 669

-40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.98 LKR 991

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.42 LKR 138

250.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.33 LKR 108

481.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$0.48 LKR 158

1518.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.18 LKR 394

-14.41%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

-33.05%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$34.8K LKR 11.6M

-24.02%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$60.8 LKR 20.2K

33.37%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$3.43 LKR 1,141

174.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$14.93 LKR 4,971

59.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.31 LKR 1,104

23.56%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$37.26 LKR 12.4K

744.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$449 LKR 149.6K

1240.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$27.47 LKR 9,147

117.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$19.73 LKR 6,570

62.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$69.0 LKR 23.0K

46.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$37.99 LKR 12.7K

176.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$243 LKR 80.9K

99.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$150 LKR 50.0K

143.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$577 LKR 192.1K

43.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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 15, 2026

Last update for Mirissa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $243 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 $257 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 $1,542 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 $1,028. 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.