Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $734 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,153 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,572 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.12 LKR 1,375

45.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$24.76 LKR 8,258

32.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.48 LKR 2,828

-16.39%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.67 LKR 889

-35.96%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.75 LKR 249

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.38 LKR 126

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.28 LKR 762

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.29 LKR 1,098

-6.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.50 LKR 499

-27.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.53 LKR 176

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.85 LKR 285

62.35%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.13 LKR 709

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.28 LKR 3,429

-57.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.55 LKR 1,516

23.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$5.85 LKR 1,951

51.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$6.17 LKR 2,058

-62.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.11 LKR 370

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$5.71 LKR 1,905

-73.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.25 LKR 417

10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.01 LKR 336

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.93 LKR 310

24.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.14 LKR 382

-21.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.50 LKR 166

68.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.46 LKR 2,821

-73.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.57 LKR 4,191

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.47 LKR 489

-18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.81 LKR 604

36.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.32 LKR 106

168.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$10.23 LKR 3,412

304.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.34 LKR 115

332.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.35 LKR 117

460.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$0.44 LKR 145

1659.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.27 LKR 422

-25.20%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-33.38%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-22.98%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$30.64 LKR 10.2K

168.44%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.22 LKR 1,407

125.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$14.91 LKR 4,972

62.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$21.06 LKR 7,024

22.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.42 LKR 1,142

14.91%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$36.74 LKR 12.3K

742.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$433 LKR 144.4K

1277.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$28.02 LKR 9,344

109.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$19.05 LKR 6,354

69.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$69.0 LKR 23.0K

48.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$38.31 LKR 12.8K

183.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$335 LKR 111.7K

42.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$254 LKR 84.6K

49.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$512 LKR 170.8K

63.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$418 LKR 139.3K

73.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$686 LKR 228.7K

306.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$528 LKR 176.1K

129.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$303 LKR 100.9K

69.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. 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 69% 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 $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $221 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,100 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $734 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. 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.