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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $503 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $825 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,147 in Nuwara Eliya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 234% more than Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Nuwara Eliya is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.49 LKR 1,486

78.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$25.70 LKR 8,497

86.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.45 LKR 2,463

32.75%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.55 LKR 845

22.75%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.37 LKR 122

416.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 LKR 82.5

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.20 LKR 727

41.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.98 LKR 987

92.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.55 LKR 514

-7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.57 LKR 188

336.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.75 LKR 248

136.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.62 LKR 536

82.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$12.98 LKR 4,293

-22.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.22 LKR 1,727

93.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.25 LKR 2,396

97.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.69 LKR 2,211

-38.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.83 LKR 275

93.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.27 LKR 1,412

-47.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.24 LKR 411

81.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.01 LKR 333

101.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.81 LKR 267

90.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.96 LKR 317

21.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.45 LKR 150

191.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.56 LKR 3,492

-63.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.73 LKR 4,541

2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.90 LKR 627

-8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.90 LKR 957

-1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.42 LKR 138

211.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.38 LKR 127

476.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.93 LKR 308

836.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.30 LKR 428

5.38%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$30.4K LKR 10.1M

-8.57%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$42.7K LKR 14.1M

-16.24%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

225.08%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$4.28 LKR 1,415

224.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$21.22 LKR 7,017

40.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.44 LKR 1,468

49.77%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$37.70 LKR 12.5K

2056.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,229 LKR 406.5K

647.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$20.49 LKR 6,777

336.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.63 LKR 5,498

254.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$79.2 LKR 26.2K

74.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$42.14 LKR 13.9K

142.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.69

-13.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Nuwara Eliya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $236 – making Nuwara Eliya 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 Nuwara Eliya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 234%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $754 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 $48.00 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.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nuwara Eliya, where all-in costs run around $503, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.