Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Weligama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Weligama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $740 in Weligama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $926 in Weligama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,111 in Weligama, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Weligama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Weligama are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Weligama 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.01 LKR 1,279

47.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.42 LKR 4,279

144.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.92 LKR 1,886

21.62%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.62 LKR 835

-35.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.68 LKR 216

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.40 LKR 128

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.35 LKR 750

-28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.42 LKR 1,091

-9.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.71 LKR 545

-38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.34 LKR 108

267.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.88 LKR 280

57.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.22 LKR 709

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$14.33 LKR 4,570

-69.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.79 LKR 1,527

21.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.18 LKR 2,608

7.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.54 LKR 2,404

-70.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.76 LKR 242

42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.70 LKR 1,818

-73.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.26 LKR 403

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 LKR 353

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.49 LKR 155

128.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.20 LKR 383

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.59 LKR 190

54.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$9.94 LKR 3,169

-76.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.34 LKR 3,936

-9.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.03 LKR 648

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.88 LKR 917

-17.71%

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

$0.41 LKR 132

251.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.35 LKR 113

445.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$0.57 LKR 181

1307.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.21 LKR 387

-22.31%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

-34.17%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-23.88%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$59.8 LKR 19.1K

40.47%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.43 LKR 1,092

179.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.08 LKR 4,810

60.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.31 LKR 1,054

18.43%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$37.44 LKR 11.9K

718.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$439 LKR 140.0K

1247.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.42 LKR 8,745

111.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.28 LKR 6,148

65.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$70.2 LKR 22.4K

42.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.59 LKR 12.3K

177.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$220 LKR 70.0K

67.60%

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 Weligama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $13.00 in Weligama. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $253 in Weligama – 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 Weligama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,111 in Weligama. 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 $13.00 in Weligama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% 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 Weligama, where all-in costs run around $740, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Weligama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Weligama – 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 Weligama. 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.