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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $517 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $844 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,171 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 94% more than Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nuwara Eliya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Nuwara Eliya 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.99 LKR 1,339

48.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$25.24 LKR 8,469

30.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.41 LKR 2,823

-11.65%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.62 LKR 880

-37.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.73 LKR 245

50.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.38 LKR 126

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.37 LKR 794

-27.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.33 LKR 1,118

-4.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.77 LKR 595

-37.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.57 LKR 190

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.87 LKR 293

58.62%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.14 LKR 719

1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$13.97 LKR 4,688

-67.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.54 LKR 1,523

27.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.84 LKR 2,631

14.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$7.37 LKR 2,474

-68.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.06 LKR 356

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$5.92 LKR 1,987

-74.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.26 LKR 423

7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.16 LKR 389

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.42 LKR 475

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.14 LKR 382

-21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.60 LKR 202

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$9.97 LKR 3,347

-77.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.39 LKR 4,157

-2.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.10 LKR 704

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.92 LKR 980

-15.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.42 LKR 140

238.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.33 LKR 111

490.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$0.57 LKR 192

1284.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.20 LKR 404

-17.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

-35.03%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-23.85%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

40.46%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.22 LKR 1,416

129.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$15.37 LKR 5,158

53.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.29 LKR 1,105

20.06%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$36.10 LKR 12.1K

774.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$434 LKR 145.7K

1276.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$28.06 LKR 9,416

113.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$19.14 LKR 6,423

66.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$68.8 LKR 23.1K

47.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$38.40 LKR 12.9K

179.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: July 26, 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $256 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 94%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $776 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 32% 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 $517, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.