Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $837 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,146 per month in Ratnapura vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 LKR 704

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-64.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.98 LKR 3,323

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-69.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 LKR 2,277

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-7.82%

Cappuccino

$2.32 LKR 773

$1.65 COP 5,659

40.61%

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

$0.86 LKR 288

$1.07 COP 3,663

-19.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.76 COP 2,607

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 748

$1.72 COP 5,908

30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 979

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-8.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 LKR 687

$1.05 COP 3,597

96.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 LKR 268

$1.31 COP 4,479

-38.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 228

$1.34 COP 4,591

-48.51%

Eggs

$1.23 LKR 410

$2.19 COP 7,521

-43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 LKR 5,541

$4.41 COP 15.1K

277.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 LKR 2,346

$5.69 COP 19.5K

23.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 LKR 5,871

$8.52 COP 29.2K

106.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,549

$2.34 COP 8,023

98.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 255

$1.11 COP 3,804

-31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 LKR 1,555

$1.52 COP 5,210

207.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 347

$1.37 COP 4,680

-24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 LKR 376

$1.15 COP 3,950

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 LKR 523

$1.18 COP 4,043

33.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 LKR 175

$0.84 COP 2,885

-36.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.86 COP 2,931

-39.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.59 LKR 4,860

$2.26 COP 7,753

545.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 LKR 4,247

$11.60 COP 39.8K

9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 LKR 780

$1.20 COP 4,109

95.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 LKR 1,051

$2.48 COP 8,484

27.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.79 COP 2,721

-51.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$1.47 COP 5,023

-73.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 LKR 161

$1.92 COP 6,568

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-95.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 LKR 345

$1.01 COP 3,464

2.97%

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

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

20.88%

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

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-17.35%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

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

$2.33 LKR 776

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-75.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.24 LKR 2,744

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-65.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.19 LKR 3,394

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-60.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$2.72 LKR 907

$4.09 COP 14.0K

-33.50%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.57 LKR 3,851

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-80.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.57 LKR 2,853

$31.97 COP 109.6K

-73.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 LKR 30.8K

$101 COP 346.9K

-8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.02 LKR 9,664

$105 COP 360.3K

-72.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 LKR 27.7K

$485 COP 1.7M

-82.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.8K

$365 COP 1.3M

-83.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.1 LKR 31.7K

$730 COP 2.5M

-86.98%

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)

$168 LKR 55.9K

$551 COP 1.9M

-69.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Ratnapura: June 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $83.0 in Ratnapura versus $485 in Medellin. 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 228% 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 $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Ratnapura vs $190 in Medellin – 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

Ratnapura vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, 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 $792 per month in Ratnapura and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 50% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ratnapura, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Ratnapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. 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.