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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $526 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $853 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,181 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Nuwara Eliya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Nuwara Eliya 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.06 LKR 1,296

45.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$24.68 LKR 7,870

32.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.20 LKR 2,614

-12.20%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.72 LKR 867

-37.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.73 LKR 233

50.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 LKR 120

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.32 LKR 739

-28.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.28 LKR 1,046

-5.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.73 LKR 550

-38.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.57 LKR 180

119.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.80 LKR 255

73.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.13 LKR 680

6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.18 LKR 4,523

-69.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.71 LKR 1,502

23.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.92 LKR 2,524

11.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.27 LKR 2,318

-69.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.07 LKR 342

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.94 LKR 1,894

-74.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.26 LKR 402

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.15 LKR 368

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.36 LKR 435

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.20 LKR 382

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.57 LKR 181

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$10.10 LKR 3,222

-76.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.77 LKR 4,071

-12.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.10 LKR 668

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.95 LKR 942

-19.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.41 LKR 131

251.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.35 LKR 112

445.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.60 LKR 192

1236.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.25 LKR 398

-24.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.4K LKR 8.4M

-32.11%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.4K LKR 11.0M

-22.09%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$60.7 LKR 19.4K

38.23%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.20 LKR 1,340

128.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.41 LKR 4,915

56.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.26 LKR 1,038

20.25%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.58 LKR 11.7K

737.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$446 LKR 142.2K

1227.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$28.07 LKR 8,953

106.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.71 LKR 6,285

61.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$70.1 LKR 22.3K

42.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.34 LKR 12.2K

179.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 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 96%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $789 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 $25.00 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 $526, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.