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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,382 per month in Castries vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,219 per month in Castries vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,056 per month in Castries vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Castries costs about 36% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Castries sits 3% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 EC$20.14

$5.95 COP 20.8K

25.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.2 EC$198

$33.33 COP 116.3K

119.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 EC$19.42

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.74 EC$10.09

$1.63 COP 5,687

129.45%

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

$1.13 EC$3.05

$1.09 COP 3,821

3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 EC$2.50

$0.73 COP 2,548

27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 EC$7.14

$1.74 COP 6,065

51.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 EC$9.05

$3.23 COP 11.3K

3.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 EC$5.88

$1.05 COP 3,662

107.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 EC$4.60

$1.29 COP 4,515

31.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.53

$1.32 COP 4,617

27.27%

Eggs

$4.33 EC$11.68

$2.27 COP 7,927

90.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 EC$29.74

$4.35 COP 15.2K

153.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 EC$25.53

$5.88 COP 20.5K

60.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 EC$26.87

$8.61 COP 30.0K

15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.59 EC$20.48

$2.25 COP 7,844

237.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.52

$1.07 COP 3,733

57.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.35 EC$17.15

$1.52 COP 5,322

317.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.35 EC$25.25

$1.42 COP 4,964

558.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 EC$9.12

$1.17 COP 4,084

188.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 EC$4.62

$1.17 COP 4,077

46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 EC$5.84

$0.89 COP 3,096

142.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 EC$2.94

$0.90 COP 3,146

21.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 EC$24.79

$2.25 COP 7,837

308.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 EC$31.03

$11.04 COP 38.5K

4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 EC$5.87

$1.14 COP 3,977

90.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 EC$11.36

$2.38 COP 8,301

76.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 EC$3.06

$0.84 COP 2,916

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 EC$25.64

$1.41 COP 4,912

573.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 EC$49.78

$7.75 COP 27.0K

137.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 EC$4.30

$1.01 COP 3,509

57.43%

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

$28.9K EC$78.1K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

64.61%

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

$27.6K EC$74.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.06%

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

$106 EC$286

$83.7 COP 292.1K

26.47%

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

$87.4 EC$236

$9.45 COP 33.0K

824.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.70 EC$118

$24.11 COP 84.1K

81.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.09 EC$114

$25.31 COP 88.3K

66.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 EC$17.87

$4.10 COP 14.3K

61.46%

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

$201 EC$543

$312 COP 1.1M

-35.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 EC$212

$58.0 COP 202.6K

35.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 EC$144

$32.56 COP 113.6K

63.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 EC$284

$99.6 COP 347.7K

5.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 EC$300

$109 COP 378.8K

2.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 EC$1,605

$482 COP 1.7M

23.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 EC$1,079

$379 COP 1.3M

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 EC$2,685

$837 COP 2.9M

18.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 EC$1,925

$723 COP 2.5M

-1.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$97.8 EC$264

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-96.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$64.0 EC$173

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-94.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,041 EC$2,810

$541 COP 1.9M

92.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

13.43

-42.29%

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

Last update for Castries: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $594 in Castries versus $482 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 92% higher in Castries, 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 $73.0 in Castries versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 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

Castries vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castries costs about 36% more than Medellin, 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 $2,073 per month in Castries and $1,525 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,382 in Castries and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Castries and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Castries at $1,382. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castries it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,382 in Castries. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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