Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nuwara Eliya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nuwara Eliya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $538 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $869 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,200 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 89% more than Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Nuwara Eliya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Nuwara Eliya 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.06 LKR 1,356

46.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$25.58 LKR 8,534

30.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.14 LKR 2,714

-11.18%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.71 LKR 903

-39.85%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.74 LKR 249

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.37 LKR 124

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.40 LKR 799

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.28 LKR 1,093

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.70 LKR 567

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.52 LKR 172

148.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.87 LKR 289

51.72%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.12 LKR 708

7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.87 LKR 4,627

-68.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.81 LKR 1,603

22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.15 LKR 2,718

5.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$7.61 LKR 2,539

-70.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.11 LKR 369

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$5.73 LKR 1,911

-73.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.19 LKR 398

19.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.11 LKR 371

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.35 LKR 450

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.20 LKR 399

-25.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.57 LKR 189

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$10.21 LKR 3,406

-77.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$12.47 LKR 4,161

-11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.09 LKR 696

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.89 LKR 963

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.41 LKR 138

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.32 LKR 108

493.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$0.57 LKR 190

1259.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.20 LKR 402

-15.83%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-33.24%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$35.1K LKR 11.7M

-24.46%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

40.21%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.41 LKR 1,471

114.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.13 LKR 5,046

59.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.42 LKR 1,141

19.88%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$37.10 LKR 12.4K

740.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$436 LKR 145.4K

1274.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.39 LKR 9,138

111.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.10 LKR 6,373

70.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$70.6 LKR 23.6K

41.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$39.38 LKR 13.1K

175.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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 8, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Nuwara Eliya. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $257 in Nuwara Eliya – 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 Nuwara Eliya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 89%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $806 in Nuwara Eliya. 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 $26.00 in Nuwara Eliya. 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nuwara Eliya, where all-in costs run around $538, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Nuwara Eliya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nuwara Eliya – 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 Nuwara Eliya. 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.