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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $518 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $855 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,192 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 94% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 19.1K

$3.99 LKR 1,338

48.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 106.5K

$25.15 LKR 8,434

31.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 24.0K

$8.33 LKR 2,792

-10.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,343

$2.67 LKR 895

-38.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,559

$0.68 LKR 227

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,523

$0.40 LKR 135

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,553

$2.29 LKR 768

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$3.37 LKR 1,130

-5.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,565

$1.72 LKR 576

-36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,066

$0.53 LKR 177

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,463

$0.82 LKR 275

68.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,038

$2.15 LKR 720

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.5K

$14.34 LKR 4,807

-68.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.7K

$4.65 LKR 1,558

24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 29.0K

$7.87 LKR 2,638

13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,499

$7.44 LKR 2,495

-68.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,440

$1.07 LKR 360

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,899

$5.72 LKR 1,916

-73.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,381

$1.21 LKR 407

12.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,645

$1.16 LKR 390

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,785

$1.42 LKR 477

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,912

$1.20 LKR 401

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,897

$0.57 LKR 190

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,218

$9.98 LKR 3,345

-77.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 39.2K

$12.40 LKR 4,158

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,841

$2.02 LKR 677

-41.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,020

$2.96 LKR 991

-16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,758

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,575

$0.39 LKR 129

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,302

$0.33 LKR 109

490.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.5K

$0.57 LKR 191

1284.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,200

$1.19 LKR 400

-16.81%

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

$17.6K COP 56.9M

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

-33.62%

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

$26.8K COP 86.6M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-24.25%

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

$83.0 COP 268.2K

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

36.91%

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

$9.70 COP 31.3K

$4.20 LKR 1,409

130.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 76.0K

$15.37 LKR 5,155

53.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.8K

$3.37 LKR 1,131

17.21%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$37.12 LKR 12.4K

750.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.3M

$436 LKR 146.0K

1271.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 193.8K

$27.64 LKR 9,269

117.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 102.8K

$19.24 LKR 6,451

65.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 328.5K

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

46.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 347.2K

$38.58 LKR 12.9K

178.51%

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 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

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 Polonnaruwa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $255 in Polonnaruwa – 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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 94%, 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 $776 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.