Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wattala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wattala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $534 in Wattala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $873 in Wattala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,213 in Wattala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 94% more than Wattala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Wattala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Wattala 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.98 LKR 1,270

48.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$25.17 LKR 8,027

30.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.46 LKR 2,699

-14.89%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.73 LKR 870

-37.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.72 LKR 230

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.41 LKR 129

75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.30 LKR 735

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.37 LKR 1,076

-8.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.69 LKR 539

-37.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.53 LKR 168

135.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.85 LKR 272

63.53%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.20 LKR 702

2.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.02 LKR 4,470

-69.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.73 LKR 1,509

23.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.83 LKR 2,498

12.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.43 LKR 2,370

-69.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.08 LKR 344

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.71 LKR 1,822

-73.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.22 LKR 388

12.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 LKR 354

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.41 LKR 451

-20.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.20 LKR 382

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.60 LKR 192

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$9.91 LKR 3,160

-76.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.67 LKR 4,040

-12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.00 LKR 639

-40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.96 LKR 945

-19.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.39 LKR 123

269.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.35 LKR 112

445.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.61 LKR 195

1214.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.20 LKR 383

-21.67%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

-34.31%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.5K LKR 11.0M

-22.28%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

37.93%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.20 LKR 1,341

128.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.44 LKR 4,925

56.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$13.20 LKR 4,209

96.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.43 LKR 1,092

14.29%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.78 LKR 11.7K

732.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$441 LKR 140.7K

1241.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.37 LKR 8,728

111.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.36 LKR 6,175

64.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$68.4 LKR 21.8K

46.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$39.12 LKR 12.5K

173.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.45

-18.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Wattala: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Wattala. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $256 in Wattala – 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 Wattala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 94%, 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 $801 in Wattala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wattala, where all-in costs run around $534, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Wattala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wattala – 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 Wattala. 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.