Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Piliyandala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Piliyandala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $575 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $905 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,236 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 192% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Piliyandala is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$2.99 LKR 989

168.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$12.31 LKR 4,070

288.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.69 LKR 2,542

28.61%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.56 LKR 845

22.27%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.68 LKR 225

180.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 LKR 82.2

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.84 LKR 607

69.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.02 LKR 999

90.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.63 LKR 540

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.53 LKR 176

369.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.74 LKR 243

139.19%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.65 LKR 546

79.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$12.97 LKR 4,287

-22.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.97 LKR 1,644

103.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.43 LKR 2,457

92.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.87 LKR 2,271

-39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.88 LKR 292

82.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.25 LKR 1,406

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.30 LKR 428

73.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.98 LKR 325

108.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.76 LKR 252

102.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.95 LKR 314

23.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.48 LKR 160

172.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.50 LKR 3,471

-62.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.84 LKR 4,578

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.00 LKR 661

-13.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.78 LKR 921

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.35 LKR 115

248.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.38 LKR 127

244.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.29 LKR 95.3

655.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.89 LKR 294

878.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.34 LKR 443

2.24%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

-26.31%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$41.0K LKR 13.6M

-12.71%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$54.1 LKR 17.9K

227.67%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$4.22 LKR 1,397

228.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$20.81 LKR 6,881

42.82%

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

$4.32 LKR 1,429

53.94%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

2050.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,234 LKR 408.2K

644.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$19.90 LKR 6,581

349.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.80 LKR 5,556

251.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$81.0 LKR 26.8K

70.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$43.20 LKR 14.3K

136.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$106 LKR 34.9K

906.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$76.8 LKR 25.4K

763.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$261 LKR 86.2K

624.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$179 LKR 59.2K

474.04%

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

$300 LKR 99.1K

126.05%

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 Piliyandala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $106 in Piliyandala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Piliyandala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $238 – making Piliyandala 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 Piliyandala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 192%, 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 $862 in Piliyandala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piliyandala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $12.00 in Piliyandala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Piliyandala, where all-in costs run around $575, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Piliyandala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Piliyandala – 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 Piliyandala. 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.