Cost of Living Comparison Between Arklow and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arklow and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,296 per month in Arklow vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Arklow vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,903 per month in Arklow vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Arklow is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arklow sits 6% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.95 €18.93

$8.03 COP 25.3K

173.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €80.4

$48.26 COP 152.3K

93.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 €10.11

$9.77 COP 30.8K

19.96%

Cappuccino

$4.38 €3.78

$2.91 COP 9,185

50.52%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$1.94 COP 6,134

52.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.52 COP 4,801

48.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 €4.83

$3.09 COP 9,759

81.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 €4.66

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-5.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.36 COP 4,304

30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.39 COP 7,534

-2.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.70 COP 5,366

15.88%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

$2.87 COP 9,056

64.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.39 €12.41

$9.94 COP 31.4K

44.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.63 €11.75

$10.78 COP 34.0K

26.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 €14.63

$14.73 COP 46.5K

15.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-20.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.57 COP 4,960

89.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$2.13 COP 6,708

66.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 €4.31

$2.21 COP 6,985

125.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.05 COP 6,460

13.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.50 COP 4,747

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.19 COP 3,755

26.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.84

$1.16 COP 3,654

83.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.21 €18.29

$3.90 COP 12.3K

443.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 €12.16

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 €3.73

$1.58 COP 4,997

173.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.12

$2.83 COP 8,923

27.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,686

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.71

$1.28 COP 4,054

326.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.09 COP 6,602

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.56 €29.80

$8.62 COP 27.2K

300.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.30 COP 4,096

64.62%

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

$40.0K €34.5K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

44.69%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

12.01%

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

$248 €214

$176 COP 555.6K

40.90%

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

$22.42 €19.34

$13.37 COP 42.2K

67.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 €49.54

$29.89 COP 94.3K

92.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.92 €39.61

$44.76 COP 141.2K

2.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 €12.26

$6.20 COP 19.6K

129.19%

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

$1,110 €958

$793 COP 2.5M

39.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,659 €4,881

$9,019 COP 28.5M

-37.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 €85.3

$85.6 COP 270.1K

15.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 €38.69

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-23.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.0

$136 COP 430.1K

-19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$103 COP 325.4K

18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,953 €4,272

$665 COP 2.1M

644.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

10.94

-62.16%

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

Last update for Arklow: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 644% higher in Arklow, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Arklow versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $303 – making Medellin 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

Arklow vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,296 in Arklow, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 32% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,944 per month in Arklow and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Arklow and $48.00 in Medellin. 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 Arklow, where all-in costs run around $1,296, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Arklow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,296 in Arklow to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arklow. 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.