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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $512 in Mirissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $820 in Mirissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,127 in Mirissa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 210% more than Mirissa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Mirissa is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.9K

$4.31 LKR 1,425

85.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.8K

$24.31 LKR 8,045

91.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.6K

$7.34 LKR 2,427

28.47%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,432

$2.43 LKR 804

19.75%

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

$1.75 COP 5,678

$0.68 LKR 224

157.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,289

$0.27 LKR 89.8

388.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$2.25 LKR 745

39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 18.0K

$3.00 LKR 992

85.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,570

$1.58 LKR 522

-10.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,907

$0.58 LKR 190

320.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,278

$0.74 LKR 244

120.27%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,140

$1.57 LKR 518

79.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.4K

$13.63 LKR 4,511

-28.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.2K

$4.73 LKR 1,566

97.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.6K

$7.58 LKR 2,508

77.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 13.0K

$6.85 LKR 2,267

-41.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,797

$0.85 LKR 281

74.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,881

$4.59 LKR 1,518

-53.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,298

$1.24 LKR 409

81.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,193

$0.99 LKR 328

92.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,247

$0.74 LKR 245

118.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,719

$0.92 LKR 305

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,088

$0.43 LKR 142

193.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$10.31 LKR 3,411

-62.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.5K

$13.84 LKR 4,578

-5.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,168

$1.94 LKR 644

-17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,308

$2.92 LKR 966

-22.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,793

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 243.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,123

$0.37 LKR 124

243.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,640

$0.34 LKR 114

502.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.6K

$0.93 LKR 308

781.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,113

$1.34 LKR 444

-5.22%

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

$26.8K COP 86.7M

$37.7K LKR 12.5M

-28.97%

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

$34.4K COP 111.5M

$41.1K LKR 13.6M

-16.22%

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

$162 COP 525.5K

$54.4 LKR 18.0K

197.96%

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

$13.12 COP 42.5K

$4.32 LKR 1,428

203.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 91.0K

$20.47 LKR 6,773

37.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.7K

$4.28 LKR 1,416

42.29%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$37.89 LKR 12.5K

1917.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.8M

$1,206 LKR 399.0K

638.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 275.3K

$18.12 LKR 5,996

368.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 186.2K

$16.61 LKR 5,496

246.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 426.9K

$78.5 LKR 26.0K

67.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 310.2K

$41.50 LKR 13.7K

130.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.69

-13.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Mirissa: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Mirissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $238 – making Mirissa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 210%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $769 in Mirissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Mirissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mirissa, where all-in costs run around $512, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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.