Cost of Living Comparison Between Castel and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Castel and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,417 per month in Castel vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,885 per month in Castel vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,352 per month in Castel vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Castel costs about 44% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Castel and Medellin sit above the global median – Castel by 77%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.92 GGP 30.36

$8.02 COP 25.0K

410.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 GGP 59.7

$47.87 COP 149.4K

67.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$5.20 GGP 3.86

$3.13 COP 9,767

66.13%

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

$3.34 GGP 2.48

$1.91 COP 5,954

74.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 GGP 3.05

$1.51 COP 4,712

171.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 GGP 3.31

$3.12 COP 9,747

42.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 GGP 5.13

$5.75 COP 17.9K

20.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 GGP 1.54

$1.44 COP 4,509

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 GGP 1.64

$1.37 COP 4,260

61.31%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

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

$26.92 GGP 19.97

$13.88 COP 43.3K

93.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 GGP 49.73

$29.72 COP 92.8K

125.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 GGP 1,527

$1,062 COP 3.3M

93.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 GGP 1,414

$663 COP 2.1M

187.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,092 GGP 3,036

$1,888 COP 5.9M

116.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,780 GGP 2,805

$1,027 COP 3.2M

267.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Castel: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,058 in Castel versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Castel versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $21.00 in Castel vs $305 in Medellin – so Castel 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

Castel vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Castel is pricier by about 44%, 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 $3,626 per month in Castel and $2,521 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1368% cheaper in Castel – 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 $80.0 in Castel and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Castel at $2,417. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.