Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Negombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Negombo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $413 in Negombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $674 in Negombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $936 in Negombo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 149% more than Negombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Negombo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Negombo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.93 LKR 1,310

52.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$18.33 LKR 6,103

79.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.27 LKR 2,754

-10.28%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.43 LKR 476

15.38%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.74 LKR 245

44.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 LKR 124

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.06 LKR 687

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.32 LKR 1,105

-3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.53 LKR 509

-31.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.49 LKR 163

167.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.83 LKR 276

61.45%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.21 LKR 736

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$14.03 LKR 4,672

-68.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.81 LKR 1,600

18.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$5.75 LKR 1,915

48.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.04 LKR 680

14.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$0.71 LKR 238

56.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.49 LKR 829

-38.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.26 LKR 421

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.82 LKR 275

40.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.92 LKR 305

28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.03 LKR 342

-18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.61 LKR 202

40.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$8.86 LKR 2,950

-74.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.96 LKR 4,316

-10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.06 LKR 686

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.95 LKR 982

-15.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.34 LKR 113

132.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.41 LKR 137

258.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.33 LKR 111

481.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$0.60 LKR 201

1195.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.24 LKR 413

-18.55%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

-33.76%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-24.42%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$31.15 LKR 10.4K

160.35%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$4.22 LKR 1,404

123.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$14.95 LKR 4,977

59.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$13.60 LKR 4,530

91.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$10.20 LKR 3,398

83.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$2.45 LKR 815

66.94%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$36.24 LKR 12.1K

767.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$445 LKR 148.3K

1252.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$19.42 LKR 6,468

207.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$19.69 LKR 6,555

62.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$49.36 LKR 16.4K

105.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$27.22 LKR 9,066

286.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

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

$183 LKR 61.1K

200.40%

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 Negombo: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 200% 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 $18.00 in Negombo. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $204 in Negombo – 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 Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 149%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $619 in Negombo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Negombo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Negombo, where all-in costs run around $413, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Negombo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Negombo – 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 Negombo. 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.