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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $515 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $835 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,154 in Ragama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 219% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Ragama is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.41 LKR 1,448

82.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$26.20 LKR 8,610

84.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.64 LKR 2,509

23.30%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.54 LKR 834

15.75%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.69 LKR 226

169.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.27 LKR 88.7

440.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.25 LKR 740

42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.12 LKR 1,026

83.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.43 LKR 468

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.51 LKR 166

370.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.69 LKR 226

146.38%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.66 LKR 546

74.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.16 LKR 4,324

-23.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.94 LKR 1,622

101.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.23 LKR 2,376

96.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$6.71 LKR 2,206

-40.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.89 LKR 294

77.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$4.32 LKR 1,420

-50.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.24 LKR 408

85.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.04 LKR 343

92.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.80 LKR 262

88.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.88 LKR 290

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.46 LKR 151

178.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$10.46 LKR 3,435

-63.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$13.56 LKR 4,457

3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.00 LKR 656

-14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.77 LKR 909

-1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.39 LKR 128

235.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.39 LKR 127

456.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$0.92 LKR 303

801.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.35 LKR 443

0.74%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

-8.32%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-12.29%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$54.4 LKR 17.9K

210.38%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$4.16 LKR 1,366

226.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$20.62 LKR 6,776

37.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.49 LKR 1,477

48.11%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$38.72 LKR 12.7K

1974.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$1,242 LKR 408.2K

639.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$20.02 LKR 6,577

336.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$16.51 LKR 5,424

259.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

74.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$41.71 LKR 13.7K

144.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.69

-13.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ragama: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Ragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $233 – making Ragama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 219%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $773 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Ragama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ragama, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.