Cost of Living Comparison Between Cesis and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cesis and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,420 in Cesis versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,164 in Cesis versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,908 in Cesis versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Cesis is roughly 40% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cesis is 6% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.15

$5.99 COP 21.4K

193.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €60.8

$32.86 COP 117.4K

115.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 €8.14

$7.09 COP 25.3K

33.43%

Cappuccino

$3.55 €3.06

$1.71 COP 6,115

107.60%

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

$1.85 €1.59

$1.10 COP 3,924

68.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.78 COP 2,781

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 €4.90

$1.68 COP 5,997

239.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €4.94

$3.07 COP 11.0K

86.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.09 COP 3,906

21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.26 COP 4,508

15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.48

$1.38 COP 4,922

108.70%

Eggs

$2.71 €2.33

$2.19 COP 7,827

23.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 €10.52

$4.40 COP 15.7K

177.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 €6.81

$5.63 COP 20.1K

40.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.04 €10.36

$8.89 COP 31.8K

35.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.34 COP 8,349

-28.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.06 COP 3,777

-16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$1.50 COP 5,374

77.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.38 COP 4,924

61.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.15 COP 4,111

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.16 COP 4,155

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.89 COP 3,182

93.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.84 COP 2,997

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 €3.63

$2.28 COP 8,145

85.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 €6.37

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.20 COP 4,284

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$2.47 COP 8,824

-54.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 €0.82

$0.86 COP 3,056

10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.71 €31.58

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-11.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 €2.51

$1.47 COP 5,264

98.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.96 COP 7,009

-55.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.79 €11.86

$7.74 COP 27.6K

78.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.95 COP 3,409

88.42%

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

$30.5K €26.2K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

68.21%

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

$31.4K €27.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

18.57%

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

$321 €276

$82.3 COP 293.7K

289.92%

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

$20.37 €17.52

$9.50 COP 33.9K

114.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.34 €9.75

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-53.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 €44.09

$25.89 COP 92.4K

97.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.67 €10.04

$3.93 COP 14.0K

196.95%

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

$555 €477

$309 COP 1.1M

79.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K €13.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

163.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 €76.3

$58.7 COP 209.5K

51.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.18 €39.72

$32.35 COP 115.5K

42.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 €83.7

$103 COP 366.4K

-5.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €117

$108 COP 387.2K

25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 €314

$476 COP 1.7M

-23.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 €220

$379 COP 1.4M

-32.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 €644

$838 COP 3.0M

-10.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 €396

$724 COP 2.6M

-36.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,947 €1,675

$512 COP 1.8M

280.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

13.43

-82.13%

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

Last update for Cesis: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Cesis and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cesis pays 280% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Cesis vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Cesis vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cesis pays 280% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $365 in Cesis versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,420 per month in Cesis versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 13% less than in Cesis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,420 in Cesis, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cesis. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cesis, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cesis and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Cesis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.