Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Polonnaruwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Polonnaruwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $500 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $830 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,161 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 236% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.29 LKR 1,418

86.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$25.83 LKR 8,542

85.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.83 LKR 2,588

26.31%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.47 LKR 816

26.72%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.73 LKR 241

161.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 LKR 82.6

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.19 LKR 724

42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.10 LKR 1,024

85.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.56 LKR 516

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.53 LKR 175

369.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.81 LKR 267

118.52%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.64 LKR 543

80.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.05 LKR 4,315

-22.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.12 LKR 1,694

97.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.39 LKR 2,444

93.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.87 LKR 2,270

-39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.88 LKR 292

82.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.20 LKR 1,389

-46.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.24 LKR 411

81.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.01 LKR 335

101.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.76 LKR 252

102.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.93 LKR 308

25.81%

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

$10.43 LKR 3,447

-62.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.76 LKR 4,550

1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.91 LKR 630

-8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.83 LKR 937

1.41%

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

$0.41 LKR 137

219.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.38 LKR 126

476.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.92 LKR 305

846.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.28 LKR 423

7.03%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

-10.39%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

-14.72%

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

$4.09 LKR 1,351

239.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$21.14 LKR 6,990

40.59%

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

$4.55 LKR 1,505

46.15%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

2008.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

654.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$20.29 LKR 6,710

341.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.85 LKR 5,570

249.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

72.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

144.56%

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 Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $237 – making Polonnaruwa 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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 236%, 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 $750 in Polonnaruwa. 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 Polonnaruwa. 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $500, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Polonnaruwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polonnaruwa – 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 Polonnaruwa. 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.