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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $538 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $857 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,176 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 89% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Polonnaruwa 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.00 LKR 1,333

48.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$25.54 LKR 8,518

30.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.60 LKR 2,870

-15.93%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.74 LKR 913

-40.51%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.73 LKR 242

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.40 LKR 134

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.29 LKR 763

-24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.39 LKR 1,130

-4.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.79 LKR 597

-41.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.53 LKR 176

143.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.85 LKR 285

55.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.19 LKR 732

3.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.94 LKR 4,650

-68.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.65 LKR 1,550

26.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.10 LKR 2,702

6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$7.54 LKR 2,514

-70.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.06 LKR 354

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$5.95 LKR 1,985

-74.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.24 LKR 415

14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.16 LKR 387

0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.42 LKR 474

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.15 LKR 382

-22.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.57 LKR 190

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$10.23 LKR 3,411

-78.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$12.46 LKR 4,156

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.08 LKR 694

-45.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.88 LKR 961

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.38 LKR 128

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.32 LKR 108

493.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$0.57 LKR 190

1259.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.26 LKR 421

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-35.11%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-22.58%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$59.4 LKR 19.8K

40.92%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.43 LKR 1,479

113.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.22 LKR 5,077

58.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.40 LKR 1,134

20.59%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

736.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$442 LKR 147.3K

1257.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.70 LKR 9,239

109.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.51 LKR 6,508

66.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

41.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$38.00 LKR 12.7K

185.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $258 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 89%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $807 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 $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $538, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.