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: $1,391 in Cesis versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Cesis versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,861 in Cesis versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Cesis is roughly 35% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cesis is 4% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 €15.00

$6.16 COP 20.1K

178.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €60.3

$32.60 COP 106.1K

111.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 €8.20

$7.34 COP 23.9K

27.66%

Cappuccino

$3.62 €3.17

$1.72 COP 5,600

110.47%

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

$1.86 €1.63

$1.05 COP 3,420

77.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.18

$0.77 COP 2,515

75.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 €5.08

$1.69 COP 5,488

243.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 €5.12

$3.17 COP 10.3K

84.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.05 COP 3,423

32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.30 COP 4,236

17.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$1.40 COP 4,544

97.14%

Eggs

$2.79 €2.44

$2.16 COP 7,047

29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 €10.49

$4.39 COP 14.3K

173.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €7.01

$5.88 COP 19.1K

36.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 €10.52

$8.64 COP 28.1K

39.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$2.28 COP 7,426

-26.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 €0.81

$1.11 COP 3,604

-17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$1.53 COP 4,983

67.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.35 COP 4,410

68.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.13 COP 3,674

-15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 €0.89

$1.13 COP 3,692

-9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 €1.55

$0.85 COP 2,753

108.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.74

$0.91 COP 2,975

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 €3.71

$2.34 COP 7,630

81.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.61

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-38.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.98

$1.20 COP 3,909

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.04

$2.49 COP 8,104

-52.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 €0.84

$0.84 COP 2,728

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.35 €31.80

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-10.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 €2.57

$1.42 COP 4,623

107.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.92 COP 6,235

-55.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 €11.92

$7.66 COP 24.9K

77.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.57

$0.99 COP 3,223

81.82%

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

$30.5K €26.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

69.06%

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

$31.4K €27.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

17.99%

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

$322 €282

$80.8 COP 263.1K

298.44%

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

$19.91 €17.42

$9.95 COP 32.4K

100.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 €10.10

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-52.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 €44.30

$25.08 COP 81.7K

101.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 €10.04

$3.98 COP 13.0K

188.19%

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

$547 €479

$305 COP 993.5K

79.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K €13.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

159.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 €78.8

$58.1 COP 189.2K

54.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.95 €40.21

$32.20 COP 104.8K

42.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 €83.0

$101 COP 327.9K

-5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €118

$108 COP 350.8K

25.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 €318

$477 COP 1.6M

-23.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 €227

$376 COP 1.2M

-31.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 €645

$845 COP 2.7M

-12.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 €397

$730 COP 2.4M

-37.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,863 €1,630

$617 COP 2.0M

202.01%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $363 in Cesis and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cesis pays 202% 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: $69.0 in Cesis vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $193 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 202% higher in Cesis, 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: $363 in Cesis versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,391 per month in Cesis versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 12% less than in Cesis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,391 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 35% less than in Cesis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.