Cost of Living Comparison Between Basseterre and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Basseterre and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,572 per month in Basseterre vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,937 per month in Basseterre vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,301 per month in Basseterre vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Basseterre costs about 57% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Basseterre sits 18% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.66 EC$55.8

$5.91 COP 18.6K

249.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.0 EC$254

$32.96 COP 103.8K

185.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.82 EC$37.32

$7.43 COP 23.4K

86.00%

Cappuccino

$3.80 EC$10.25

$1.65 COP 5,207

130.30%

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

$2.12 EC$5.73

$1.10 COP 3,468

92.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 EC$6.33

$0.78 COP 2,458

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 EC$5.87

$1.72 COP 5,412

26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 EC$10.10

$3.18 COP 10.0K

17.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.09 EC$11.03

$1.10 COP 3,474

271.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 EC$10.66

$1.26 COP 3,962

213.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 EC$10.28

$1.38 COP 4,349

176.09%

Eggs

$5.71 EC$15.43

$2.18 COP 6,858

161.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 EC$33.15

$4.49 COP 14.1K

173.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.04 EC$35.22

$5.79 COP 18.2K

125.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 EC$11.94

$2.32 COP 7,308

90.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 EC$8.40

$1.06 COP 3,352

193.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 EC$9.76

$1.36 COP 4,270

166.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 EC$6.13

$1.13 COP 3,552

100.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 EC$5.62

$1.17 COP 3,689

77.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.92 EC$15.99

$0.90 COP 2,838

557.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 EC$3.94

$0.90 COP 2,823

62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 EC$6.74

$1.19 COP 3,743

110.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 EC$9.89

$2.48 COP 7,815

47.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 EC$6.15

$0.85 COP 2,687

168.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.41 EC$55.1

$1.42 COP 4,459

1337.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$101 EC$272

$83.0 COP 261.4K

21.18%

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

$39.60 EC$107

$9.70 COP 30.5K

308.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 EC$16.19

$3.95 COP 12.4K

51.90%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 EC$241

$60.0 COP 188.9K

49.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 EC$355

$102 COP 320.1K

29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 EC$1,895

$475 COP 1.5M

47.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 EC$1,762

$374 COP 1.2M

74.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,048 EC$13.6K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

54.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,967 EC$10.7K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

175.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,099 EC$2,966

$624 COP 2.0M

75.93%

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 Basseterre: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $702 in Basseterre versus $475 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 76% higher in Basseterre, 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 $94.0 in Basseterre versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $193 – 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

Basseterre vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,572 in Basseterre, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 57% apart. Basseterre costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,359 per month in Basseterre and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $94.0 in Basseterre and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,572 in Basseterre and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Basseterre at $1,572. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basseterre 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,572 in Basseterre. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basseterre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.