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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $513 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $811 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,109 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 102% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Piliyandala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Piliyandala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.41 LKR 1,086

73.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.47 LKR 4,297

143.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.55 LKR 2,728

-15.79%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.75 LKR 876

-38.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.73 LKR 234

50.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 LKR 119

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.06 LKR 657

-18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.26 LKR 1,039

-4.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.70 LKR 541

-37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.52 LKR 165

140.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.82 LKR 262

69.51%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.14 LKR 681

5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.10 LKR 4,496

-69.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.78 LKR 1,526

22.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.27 LKR 2,638

6.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.62 LKR 2,429

-70.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.11 LKR 353

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.64 LKR 1,799

-72.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.25 LKR 400

9.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.12 LKR 357

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.38 LKR 440

-18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.15 LKR 368

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.55 LKR 177

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$10.09 LKR 3,217

-76.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.71 LKR 4,052

-12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.01 LKR 642

-40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.93 LKR 933

-19.11%

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

$0.42 LKR 133

242.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.33 LKR 105

478.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.56 LKR 180

1332.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.21 LKR 385

-22.31%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.1K LKR 8.7M

-33.98%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-23.99%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$60.0 LKR 19.1K

39.86%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.32 LKR 1,377

122.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.44 LKR 4,923

56.48%

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

$3.43 LKR 1,095

14.29%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.22 LKR 11.6K

745.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$448 LKR 142.8K

1221.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.73 LKR 8,844

108.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.58 LKR 6,244

62.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$68.9 LKR 22.0K

45.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.69 LKR 12.3K

176.92%

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 Piliyandala: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $13.00 in Piliyandala. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $257 in Piliyandala – 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 Piliyandala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 102%, 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 $769 in Piliyandala. 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 $13.00 in Piliyandala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Piliyandala, where all-in costs run around $513, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.