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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,454 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Medellin costs about 139% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$4.35 LKR 1,427

84.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$24.79 LKR 8,133

94.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.54 LKR 2,473

29.58%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.51 LKR 823

15.94%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.68 LKR 224

185.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.25 LKR 81.4

508.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.19 LKR 720

41.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.10 LKR 1,018

85.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.31 LKR 430

3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.57 LKR 186

319.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.69 LKR 227

146.38%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.60 LKR 524

79.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$13.31 LKR 4,368

-25.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.38 LKR 1,438

146.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$5.31 LKR 1,742

177.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$6.25 LKR 2,050

-34.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.88 LKR 288

78.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$4.31 LKR 1,415

-50.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.19 LKR 390

85.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.93 LKR 306

120.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.75 LKR 246

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.89 LKR 293

33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.49 LKR 160

136.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$9.19 LKR 3,017

-57.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$12.48 LKR 4,093

15.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.92 LKR 630

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.81 LKR 923

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.31 LKR 102

312.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.37 LKR 122

464.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$0.88 LKR 290

879.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.16 LKR 379

12.07%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

-10.60%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-15.43%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$45.15 LKR 14.8K

289.97%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$4.29 LKR 1,408

211.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$12.22 LKR 4,009

144.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$14.98 LKR 4,915

198.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$3.10 LKR 1,017

100.00%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$38.65 LKR 12.7K

1952.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$896 LKR 293.9K

906.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$19.93 LKR 6,540

329.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$16.57 LKR 5,438

252.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$78.7 LKR 25.8K

73.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$41.75 LKR 13.7K

146.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$307 LKR 100.8K

244.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$228 LKR 74.8K

197.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$448 LKR 146.9K

349.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$385 LKR 126.5K

203.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$671 LKR 220.0K

513.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$542 LKR 177.9K

213.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$309 LKR 101.4K

115.33%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $307 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 115% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $219 – making Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 139%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,077 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 $48.00 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.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.