Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $523 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $854 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,185 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 98% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.22 LKR 709

166.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$10.12 LKR 3,228

223.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.90 LKR 2,199

4.35%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.32 LKR 739

-26.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.80 LKR 255

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.51 LKR 164

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.12 LKR 677

-21.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.04 LKR 970

1.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.96 LKR 624

-45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.81 LKR 257

54.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.67 LKR 213

107.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.18 LKR 376

91.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$16.59 LKR 5,290

-73.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.00 LKR 2,231

-16.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$17.62 LKR 5,619

-49.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.60 LKR 1,467

-51.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.78 LKR 248

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$4.56 LKR 1,455

-66.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.06 LKR 338

29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 LKR 353

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.57 LKR 502

-28.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.52 LKR 166

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.48 LKR 152

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$14.35 LKR 4,578

-83.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.91 LKR 4,118

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.25 LKR 718

-47.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.16 LKR 1,008

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.38 LKR 121

107.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.42 LKR 133

242.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.48 LKR 155

297.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.32 LKR 101

2406.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.04 LKR 330

-9.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

-16.56%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

22.70%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$2.25 LKR 719

326.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$7.87 LKR 2,511

206.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$9.92 LKR 3,165

160.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.70 LKR 862

45.19%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$11.55 LKR 3,682

401.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$8.61 LKR 2,747

269.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$28.14 LKR 8,973

280.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$85.2 LKR 27.2K

471.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$60.4 LKR 19.3K

509.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$92.6 LKR 29.5K

673.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$174 LKR 55.3K

214.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $85.2 in Ratnapura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 214% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $282 in Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 98%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $784 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 48% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $10.00 in Ratnapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ratnapura, where all-in costs run around $523, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Ratnapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. 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.