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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $534 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $867 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,201 in Ragama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 91% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$4.06 LKR 1,369

46.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$25.46 LKR 8,582

30.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$8.28 LKR 2,790

-12.68%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.76 LKR 929

-40.94%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.73 LKR 247

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.38 LKR 128

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.38 LKR 802

-26.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.44 LKR 1,161

-6.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.63 LKR 551

-35.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$0.53 LKR 178

143.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$0.75 LKR 254

76.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$2.13 LKR 717

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$14.01 LKR 4,720

-68.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$4.60 LKR 1,550

27.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$7.90 LKR 2,662

8.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$7.43 LKR 2,504

-69.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.10 LKR 372

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$5.62 LKR 1,894

-72.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$1.25 LKR 421

13.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.16 LKR 392

0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.19 LKR 400

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$1.20 LKR 404

-25.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.60 LKR 201

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$10.10 LKR 3,403

-77.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$12.58 LKR 4,240

-12.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.02 LKR 682

-43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$2.94 LKR 992

-19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$0.41 LKR 138

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$0.32 LKR 109

493.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$0.56 LKR 189

1283.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.21 LKR 407

-16.53%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$26.6K LKR 9.0M

-33.87%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$34.9K LKR 11.8M

-24.03%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

37.95%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$4.27 LKR 1,438

121.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$15.07 LKR 5,079

59.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$3.38 LKR 1,138

21.30%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$36.60 LKR 12.3K

752.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$444 LKR 149.7K

1249.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$27.18 LKR 9,159

113.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$19.47 LKR 6,561

67.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$69.4 LKR 23.4K

43.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

185.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

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 Ragama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Ragama. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $253 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 91%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $800 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 $534, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.