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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $571 in Wattala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $960 in Wattala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,349 in Wattala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 194% more than Wattala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Wattala is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.47 LKR 1,479

79.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$25.94 LKR 8,578

84.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.46 LKR 2,468

32.57%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.55 LKR 842

22.75%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.69 LKR 227

176.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.27 LKR 89.3

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.21 LKR 730

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.10 LKR 1,025

85.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.59 LKR 524

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.56 LKR 186

344.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.74 LKR 246

139.19%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.57 LKR 520

88.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$13.31 LKR 4,399

-24.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.93 LKR 1,630

105.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.16 LKR 2,367

99.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$6.80 LKR 2,249

-39.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.82 LKR 272

96.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.23 LKR 1,397

-46.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.23 LKR 407

82.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.99 LKR 328

106.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.76 LKR 252

102.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.96 LKR 316

21.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.49 LKR 160

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$10.52 LKR 3,478

-62.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.44 LKR 4,444

4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.00 LKR 660

-13.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.82 LKR 932

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.20 LKR 66.1

510.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.39 LKR 129

235.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.35 LKR 114

525.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$0.87 LKR 287

901.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.18 LKR 392

16.10%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

-26.35%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

-11.93%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$54.1 LKR 17.9K

227.48%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$4.09 LKR 1,353

239.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$20.56 LKR 6,797

44.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$13.50 LKR 4,465

232.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$4.69 LKR 1,551

265.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$3.12 LKR 1,033

113.14%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$38.31 LKR 12.7K

2021.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,236 LKR 408.8K

642.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$20.27 LKR 6,702

341.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.95 LKR 5,603

247.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$78.7 LKR 26.0K

75.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$42.99 LKR 14.2K

137.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$105 LKR 34.9K

907.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$61.3 LKR 20.3K

981.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$239 LKR 79.1K

689.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$182 LKR 60.3K

463.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Wattala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $105 in Wattala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Wattala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $235 – making Wattala 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 Wattala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 194%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $857 in Wattala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wattala, 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 $26.00 in Wattala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wattala, where all-in costs run around $571, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.