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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $543 in Wattala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $893 in Wattala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,243 in Wattala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 89% more than Wattala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Wattala are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Wattala 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.12 LKR 1,371

45.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$25.06 LKR 8,345

31.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.43 LKR 2,806

-11.98%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.74 LKR 914

-39.78%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.69 LKR 229

55.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 LKR 125

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.31 LKR 770

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.43 LKR 1,141

-6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.70 LKR 565

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.56 LKR 185

133.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.83 LKR 276

61.45%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.20 LKR 733

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$14.19 LKR 4,725

-68.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.63 LKR 1,541

22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$8.16 LKR 2,718

4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$7.29 LKR 2,426

-67.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.06 LKR 354

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$5.82 LKR 1,938

-73.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.26 LKR 420

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.11 LKR 371

3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.36 LKR 452

-13.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.15 LKR 381

-26.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.60 LKR 200

43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$10.01 LKR 3,334

-77.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.67 LKR 4,220

-8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.00 LKR 666

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.94 LKR 979

-15.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.39 LKR 130

276.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.35 LKR 117

448.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$0.61 LKR 204

1173.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.24 LKR 414

-18.55%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-34.05%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$34.5K LKR 11.5M

-23.27%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$60.8 LKR 20.2K

33.48%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$4.29 LKR 1,429

119.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$15.11 LKR 5,032

57.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$13.64 LKR 4,542

90.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.26 LKR 1,085

25.46%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$36.66 LKR 12.2K

757.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$443 LKR 147.4K

1260.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$27.57 LKR 9,179

116.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$19.52 LKR 6,501

63.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$70.4 LKR 23.5K

43.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$38.53 LKR 12.8K

172.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Wattala: June 14, 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 89%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $815 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 $543, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.