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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $493 in Mirissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $808 in Mirissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,122 in Mirissa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 242% more than Mirissa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Mirissa is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.38 LKR 1,446

80.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$25.84 LKR 8,523

72.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.44 LKR 2,454

24.87%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.37 LKR 783

22.36%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.69 LKR 226

162.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.25 LKR 81.5

520.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.16 LKR 711

50.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.92 LKR 964

101.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.60 LKR 528

-13.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.47 LKR 154

421.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.74 LKR 244

104.05%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.55 LKR 513

79.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$12.82 LKR 4,228

-29.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.88 LKR 1,609

118.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$6.90 LKR 2,277

112.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$6.90 LKR 2,277

-42.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.86 LKR 283

60.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$4.56 LKR 1,504

-49.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.26 LKR 416

60.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.01 LKR 333

106.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.79 LKR 262

106.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.88 LKR 289

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.48 LKR 157

160.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$10.16 LKR 3,352

-60.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.45 LKR 4,435

0.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.93 LKR 637

-17.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.63 LKR 869

14.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.38 LKR 125

323.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.37 LKR 123

475.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$0.92 LKR 303

826.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.24 LKR 410

8.87%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$29.9K LKR 9.9M

-5.19%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$39.1K LKR 12.9M

-8.63%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$53.2 LKR 17.6K

184.34%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$4.02 LKR 1,325

225.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$20.85 LKR 6,877

54.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.29 LKR 1,416

49.88%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$37.54 LKR 12.4K

2123.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$1,216 LKR 401.1K

630.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$19.61 LKR 6,468

355.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$16.33 LKR 5,388

238.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$79.1 LKR 26.1K

72.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$42.17 LKR 13.9K

159.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

12.69

-17.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mirissa: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Mirissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $233 – 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 242%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $740 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Mirissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $493, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.