Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puttalam

For one person, living is cheaper in Puttalam: $62.9 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Puttalam

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$62.9

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Puttalam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Puttalam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $63 in Puttalam, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Puttalam $63

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $109 in Puttalam, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Puttalam $109

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $156 in Puttalam, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Puttalam $156

Medellin costs about 2507% more than Puttalam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Puttalam is 95% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.6K

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,722

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

$1.80 COP 5,801

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,554

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,869

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,667

$0.51 LKR 171

366.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,712

$0.75 LKR 249

136.00%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,320

$1.23 LKR 410

134.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.8K

$3.64 LKR 1,209

171.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.1K

$7.47 LKR 2,485

87.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,005

$0.79 LKR 262

96.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,039

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,041

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,328

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,694

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,009

$0.37 LKR 124

235.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$7.41 LKR 2,466

-46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,352

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,281

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,766

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,089

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,603

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,343

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

$34.1K COP 109.8M

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

$34.7K COP 111.8M

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

$170 COP 547.0K

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

$13.55 COP 43.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 140.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

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

$797 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 186.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 315.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Puttalam: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Puttalam

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Puttalam

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Puttalam

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Puttalam

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Puttalam

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Puttalam

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Puttalam

–

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇱🇰 Puttalam

🕒 Local time

09:09 9:09 AM

19:39 7:39 PM

10 h 30 min ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

45,400

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 371 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Puttalam 16,860 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Puttalam

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Puttalam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 2507%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $94 in Puttalam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $63 in Puttalam. That makes Puttalam about 96% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 372% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Puttalam, where all-in costs run around $63, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Puttalam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $63 in Puttalam to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.