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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,407 per month in Castries vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Castries vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,026 per month in Castries vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Castries costs about 40% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Castries sits 6% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 EC$20.53

$5.91 COP 18.6K

28.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 EC$198

$32.96 COP 103.8K

122.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 EC$20.23

$7.43 COP 23.4K

0.81%

Cappuccino

$3.76 EC$10.15

$1.65 COP 5,207

127.88%

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

$1.10 EC$2.96

$1.10 COP 3,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 EC$2.55

$0.78 COP 2,458

21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 EC$6.85

$1.72 COP 5,412

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 EC$9.04

$3.18 COP 10.0K

5.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 EC$5.87

$1.10 COP 3,474

98.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 EC$4.38

$1.26 COP 3,962

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 EC$4.49

$1.38 COP 4,349

20.29%

Eggs

$4.31 EC$11.64

$2.18 COP 6,858

97.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 EC$30.25

$4.49 COP 14.1K

149.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 EC$26.13

$5.79 COP 18.2K

67.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.93 EC$26.82

$8.97 COP 28.2K

10.70%

Apples (1kg)

$7.53 EC$20.34

$2.32 COP 7,308

224.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.54

$1.06 COP 3,352

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.25 EC$16.88

$1.52 COP 4,774

311.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.94 EC$24.13

$1.36 COP 4,270

557.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 EC$9.06

$1.13 COP 3,552

197.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 EC$4.60

$1.17 COP 3,689

45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 EC$5.91

$0.90 COP 2,838

143.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 EC$2.90

$0.90 COP 2,823

18.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 EC$25.03

$2.23 COP 7,034

315.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 EC$30.34

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 EC$5.86

$1.19 COP 3,743

82.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 EC$11.49

$2.48 COP 7,815

71.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 EC$3.04

$0.85 COP 2,687

32.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.07 EC$24.49

$1.42 COP 4,459

538.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 EC$50.5

$7.89 COP 24.8K

137.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 EC$4.25

$0.99 COP 3,118

58.59%

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

$28.5K EC$77.0K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

62.06%

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

$27.2K EC$73.5K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

1.58%

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

$108 EC$291

$83.0 COP 261.4K

29.78%

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

$88.5 EC$239

$9.70 COP 30.5K

811.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.61 EC$118

$23.52 COP 74.1K

85.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 EC$116

$25.26 COP 79.5K

70.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 EC$18.10

$3.95 COP 12.4K

69.62%

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

$200 EC$541

$316 COP 994.2K

-36.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.0 EC$210

$60.0 COP 188.9K

29.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 EC$139

$31.82 COP 100.2K

62.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 EC$284

$102 COP 320.1K

3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 EC$303

$107 COP 338.3K

4.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 EC$1,618

$475 COP 1.5M

26.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 EC$1,062

$374 COP 1.2M

5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 EC$2,688

$849 COP 2.7M

17.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 EC$1,935

$719 COP 2.3M

-0.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$98.9 EC$267

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-96.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$64.5 EC$174

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-95.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,101 EC$2,972

$624 COP 2.0M

76.26%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $599 in Castries 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 76% 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: $368 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

Castries vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castries costs about 40% 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 $2,110 per month in Castries 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,407 in Castries and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $200 per month in Castries and $316 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 $1,003, than in Castries at $1,407. 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 $1,003 versus $1,407 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.