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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,171 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,588 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.00 LKR 1,345

54.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$25.03 LKR 8,411

30.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.14 LKR 2,737

-9.83%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.71 LKR 910

-36.53%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.74 LKR 250

41.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.38 LKR 127

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.41 LKR 809

-29.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.39 LKR 1,138

-6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.49 LKR 499

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.53 LKR 177

145.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.86 LKR 289

62.79%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.11 LKR 709

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.41 LKR 3,497

-57.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.58 LKR 1,540

28.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.87 LKR 1,972

47.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$6.42 LKR 2,156

-64.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.11 LKR 373

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$5.80 LKR 1,950

-73.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.19 LKR 401

13.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.95 LKR 319

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.91 LKR 304

24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.19 LKR 400

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 LKR 178

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$8.59 LKR 2,886

-72.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.53 LKR 4,212

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.52 LKR 512

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.79 LKR 601

39.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.34 LKR 115

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.23 LKR 3,439

296.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.32 LKR 106

343.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.32 LKR 109

500.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$0.47 LKR 157

1529.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.21 LKR 406

-18.18%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

-32.42%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-22.92%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$30.12 LKR 10.1K

168.29%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.42 LKR 1,486

125.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$14.96 LKR 5,028

61.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$20.63 LKR 6,933

21.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.33 LKR 1,120

19.52%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$37.30 LKR 12.5K

718.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$436 LKR 146.5K

1289.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.06 LKR 9,093

114.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.44 LKR 6,533

65.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$68.9 LKR 23.2K

46.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

180.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$341 LKR 114.6K

39.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$254 LKR 85.4K

48.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$501 LKR 168.3K

68.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$424 LKR 142.5K

72.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$671 LKR 225.5K

379.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$512 LKR 172.1K

168.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$303 LKR 101.8K

103.65%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $341 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 104% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $224 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 37%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,132 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $754 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 $754, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.