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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $512 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $814 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,115 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Piliyandala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Piliyandala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.39 LKR 1,137

74.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$13.41 LKR 4,501

145.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.25 LKR 2,769

-9.94%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.74 LKR 921

-39.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.72 LKR 242

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.40 LKR 136

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.05 LKR 689

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.39 LKR 1,136

-6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.71 LKR 574

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.52 LKR 175

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.83 LKR 277

66.27%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.12 LKR 712

2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$13.99 LKR 4,693

-67.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.64 LKR 1,556

24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.98 LKR 2,678

12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$7.64 LKR 2,563

-69.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.07 LKR 359

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$5.62 LKR 1,885

-72.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.20 LKR 403

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.11 LKR 374

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.36 LKR 455

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.19 LKR 399

-24.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.60 LKR 203

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$9.89 LKR 3,319

-77.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.55 LKR 4,211

-3.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.06 LKR 691

-42.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.94 LKR 986

-15.65%

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 141

238.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.32 LKR 109

509.38%

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 403

-17.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-35.32%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-22.89%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

37.46%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.45 LKR 1,492

117.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$15.23 LKR 5,112

54.43%

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

$3.30 LKR 1,109

19.70%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

772.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$442 LKR 148.4K

1251.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$27.95 LKR 9,378

114.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$19.33 LKR 6,487

64.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$70.1 LKR 23.5K

45.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$38.09 LKR 12.8K

182.10%

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 Piliyandala: July 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $256 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 96%, 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 $768 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 32% 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 $512, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.