Cost of Living Comparison Between Castries and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Castries and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,436 per month in Castries vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,355 per month in Castries vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Castries vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Castries is about 15% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Castries and Medellin sit above the global median – Castries by 5%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.01 EC$24.34

$8.02 COP 25.0K

12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 EC$202

$47.87 COP 149.4K

56.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 EC$22.86

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-14.36%

Cappuccino

$3.81 EC$10.28

$3.13 COP 9,767

21.73%

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

$1.88 EC$5.09

$1.91 COP 5,954

-1.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 EC$2.51

$1.51 COP 4,712

-38.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 EC$7.56

$3.12 COP 9,747

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 EC$8.75

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-43.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 EC$5.68

$1.44 COP 4,509

45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 EC$4.89

$2.49 COP 7,759

-27.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 EC$4.65

$1.77 COP 5,535

-2.82%

Eggs

$4.51 EC$12.19

$2.96 COP 9,235

52.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 EC$29.94

$10.07 COP 31.4K

10.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 EC$24.52

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-10.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 EC$39.08

$14.30 COP 44.6K

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$8.49 EC$22.93

$4.14 COP 12.9K

105.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 EC$4.35

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$8.30 EC$22.42

$2.25 COP 7,007

268.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$14.72 EC$39.75

$2.25 COP 7,028

554.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 EC$9.35

$2.04 COP 6,375

69.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 EC$5.63

$1.54 COP 4,790

35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 EC$6.03

$1.17 COP 3,651

90.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 EC$3.47

$1.31 COP 4,077

-2.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 EC$25.45

$3.90 COP 12.2K

141.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 EC$30.09

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-20.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 EC$6.08

$1.74 COP 5,439

29.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 EC$15.30

$2.87 COP 8,956

97.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 EC$2.91

$1.22 COP 3,792

-11.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 EC$24.35

$1.31 COP 4,084

588.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 EC$4.28

$1.37 COP 4,260

15.33%

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

$26.0K EC$70.2K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-6.65%

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

$36.7K EC$99.2K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

2.68%

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

$125 EC$336

$177 COP 553.2K

-29.76%

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

$88.6 EC$239

$13.88 COP 43.3K

538.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.11 EC$130

$29.72 COP 92.8K

61.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 EC$114

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 EC$14.91

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-16.99%

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

$210 EC$567

$813 COP 2.5M

-74.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.8 EC$223

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-7.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 EC$139

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 EC$305

$138 COP 431.2K

-18.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 EC$300

$102 COP 318.7K

8.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 EC$1,247

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-56.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 EC$919

$663 COP 2.1M

-48.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 EC$3,250

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-36.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 EC$1,923

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-30.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$101 EC$272

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-97.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$64.3 EC$173

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-96.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,098 EC$2,966

$678 COP 2.1M

62.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

10.94

-29.16%

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

Last update for Castries: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $462 in Castries 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.

Salaries run about 62% higher in Castries, 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 $75.0 in Castries versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $305 – 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

Castries vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 17% more than Castries, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,155 per month in Castries 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 Castries, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,436 in Castries and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $210 per month in Castries and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castries, where all-in costs run around $1,436, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Castries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castries costs $1,436 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Castries. 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.