Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,433 per month in Birmingham vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,511 per month in Birmingham vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,589 per month in Birmingham vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Birmingham costs about 143% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Birmingham sits 83% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 £15.01

$5.91 COP 18.6K

242.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.5 £61.2

$32.96 COP 103.8K

150.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 £7.11

$7.43 COP 23.4K

29.07%

Cappuccino

$4.49 £3.33

$1.65 COP 5,207

172.12%

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

$2.47 £1.83

$1.10 COP 3,468

124.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 £1.30

$0.78 COP 2,458

124.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.71 £4.98

$1.72 COP 5,412

290.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 £4.62

$3.18 COP 10.0K

95.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 £1.29

$1.10 COP 3,474

59.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 £1.24

$1.26 COP 3,962

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 £1.88

$1.38 COP 4,349

83.33%

Eggs

$3.73 £2.76

$2.18 COP 6,858

71.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 £7.67

$4.49 COP 14.1K

130.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 £5.94

$5.79 COP 18.2K

38.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 £10.48

$8.97 COP 28.2K

57.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 £1.92

$2.32 COP 7,308

11.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 £1.37

$1.06 COP 3,352

73.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 £1.46

$1.52 COP 4,774

30.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 £1.98

$1.36 COP 4,270

97.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 £1.23

$1.13 COP 3,552

47.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 £1.05

$1.17 COP 3,689

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 £1.10

$0.90 COP 2,838

64.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 £0.96

$0.90 COP 2,823

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.36 £14.35

$2.23 COP 7,034

768.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.83 £8.77

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-2.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 £2.57

$1.19 COP 3,743

191.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 £3.13

$2.48 COP 7,815

70.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 £2.45

$0.85 COP 2,687

289.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.8 £63.6

$41.62 COP 131.0K

106.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 £5.01

$1.42 COP 4,459

376.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 £1.04

$1.95 COP 6,141

-28.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.84 £16.93

$7.89 COP 24.8K

189.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 £1.48

$0.99 COP 3,118

102.02%

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

$38.3K £28.4K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

117.35%

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

$39.2K £29.1K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

46.37%

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

$297 £220

$83.0 COP 261.4K

257.44%

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

$24.08 £17.85

$9.70 COP 30.5K

148.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.99 £28.90

$23.52 COP 74.1K

65.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.36 £23.98

$25.26 COP 79.5K

28.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 £7.67

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-45.81%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 £13.35

$3.95 COP 12.4K

355.95%

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

$1,589 £1,178

$316 COP 994.2K

403.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K £14.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

218.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.6 £73.1

$60.0 COP 188.9K

64.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.73 £36.12

$31.82 COP 100.2K

53.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 £88.1

$102 COP 320.1K

16.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 £108

$107 COP 338.3K

35.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 £1,007

$475 COP 1.5M

186.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 £806

$374 COP 1.2M

190.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,269 £1,682

$849 COP 2.7M

167.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 £1,231

$719 COP 2.3M

130.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,350 £3,966

$3,265 COP 10.3M

63.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,248 £3,149

$1,441 COP 4.5M

194.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 £2,938

$624 COP 2.0M

534.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.76

13.43

-57.11%

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

Last update for Birmingham: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,359 in Birmingham 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 535% higher in Birmingham, 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 $83.0 in Birmingham versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 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

Birmingham vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,433 in Birmingham, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 143% apart. Birmingham costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,649 per month in Birmingham 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,589 per month in Birmingham and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Birmingham, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Birmingham at $2,433. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Birmingham 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 $2,433 in Birmingham. 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, Birmingham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.