Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ragama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $526 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $851 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,177 in Ragama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Ragama are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$3.92 LKR 1,240

51.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$25.21 LKR 7,978

31.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$8.54 LKR 2,703

-15.11%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.73 LKR 865

-37.36%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.74 LKR 233

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.40 LKR 127

92.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.32 LKR 734

-24.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.26 LKR 1,032

-2.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.58 LKR 501

-32.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.53 LKR 168

145.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.75 LKR 238

84.00%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.19 LKR 694

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$14.03 LKR 4,441

-67.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.64 LKR 1,468

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$7.93 LKR 2,509

13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$7.69 LKR 2,433

-70.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.07 LKR 340

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$5.69 LKR 1,801

-73.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.26 LKR 399

7.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.11 LKR 351

4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.18 LKR 375

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.16 LKR 367

-28.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.61 LKR 192

39.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$10.10 LKR 3,198

-76.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$12.87 LKR 4,073

-13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.00 LKR 632

-42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.96 LKR 936

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.39 LKR 123

269.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.35 LKR 111

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$0.56 LKR 178

1275.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.26 LKR 400

-18.25%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$27.3K LKR 8.6M

-35.18%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$34.7K LKR 11.0M

-22.24%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$59.0 LKR 18.7K

37.98%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$4.43 LKR 1,404

112.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$15.40 LKR 4,875

54.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$3.45 LKR 1,091

17.39%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$37.37 LKR 11.8K

736.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$440 LKR 139.4K

1277.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$27.22 LKR 8,616

116.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$19.32 LKR 6,116

69.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$70.2 LKR 22.2K

43.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$39.05 LKR 12.4K

172.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ragama: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $0 in Ragama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $25 in Ragama. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $255 in Ragama – 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 96%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $789 in Ragama. 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 Ragama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% 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 Ragama, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Ragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ragama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ragama. 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.