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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,377 per month in Birmingham vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Birmingham vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,474 per month in Birmingham vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Birmingham costs about 130% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Birmingham sits 78% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 £15.06

$5.92 COP 21.4K

243.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 £59.5

$32.75 COP 118.2K

145.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 £6.86

$7.20 COP 26.0K

28.61%

Cappuccino

$4.67 £3.46

$1.70 COP 6,140

174.71%

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

$2.35 £1.74

$1.10 COP 3,966

113.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 £1.31

$0.72 COP 2,605

145.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.76 £5.01

$1.67 COP 6,022

304.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 £4.65

$3.10 COP 11.2K

102.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 £1.24

$1.06 COP 3,809

57.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 £1.23

$1.25 COP 4,497

32.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 £1.97

$1.39 COP 5,022

91.37%

Eggs

$3.63 £2.69

$2.26 COP 8,168

60.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 £7.73

$4.33 COP 15.6K

140.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 £6.11

$5.84 COP 21.1K

41.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.80 £10.23

$8.83 COP 31.9K

56.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 £1.94

$2.24 COP 8,099

16.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 £1.34

$1.08 COP 3,882

67.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.53 COP 5,522

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 £2.03

$1.37 COP 4,950

99.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 £1.21

$1.13 COP 4,078

45.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 £1.05

$1.12 COP 4,036

26.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 £1.08

$0.85 COP 3,057

71.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 £1.00

$0.91 COP 3,281

48.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.73 £13.88

$2.33 COP 8,414

703.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 £8.68

$11.13 COP 40.2K

5.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 £2.57

$1.19 COP 4,309

191.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 £3.14

$2.37 COP 8,553

78.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 £2.44

$0.79 COP 2,838

317.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.8 £61.4

$41.13 COP 148.5K

101.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 £4.95

$1.44 COP 5,184

363.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 £1.02

$1.91 COP 6,901

-27.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.60 £16.74

$8.02 COP 28.9K

181.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 £1.47

$0.94 COP 3,385

110.64%

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

$37.7K £28.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

110.56%

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

$40.3K £29.9K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

50.44%

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

$299 £221

$84.0 COP 303.1K

255.57%

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

$24.19 £17.93

$9.60 COP 34.7K

151.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.88 £28.81

$24.16 COP 87.2K

60.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.74 £24.26

$25.88 COP 93.4K

26.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.25 £7.59

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-46.17%

Cinema Ticket

$18.00 £13.34

$3.92 COP 14.1K

359.18%

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

$1,612 £1,194

$306 COP 1.1M

426.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K £14.5K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

229.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 £72.2

$57.9 COP 209.1K

68.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.18 £36.45

$31.82 COP 114.9K

54.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 £88.1

$99.9 COP 360.6K

19.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 £106

$107 COP 386.8K

33.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 £976

$487 COP 1.8M

170.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 £796

$368 COP 1.3M

192.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 £1,695

$826 COP 3.0M

177.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 £1,199

$716 COP 2.6M

126.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,405 £4,005

$2,925 COP 10.6M

84.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,241 £3,142

$1,407 COP 5.1M

201.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 £2,761

$546 COP 2.0M

583.06%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,317 in Birmingham versus $487 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 583% 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 $80.0 in Birmingham versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $190 – 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: $2,377 in Birmingham, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 130% apart. Birmingham costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,565 per month in Birmingham and $1,550 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 $1,612 per month in Birmingham and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $1,034, than in Birmingham at $2,377. 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $2,377 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.