Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, SC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, SC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,954 per month in Charleston, SC vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,300 per month in Charleston, SC vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,646 per month in Charleston, SC vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Charleston, SC costs about 187% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Charleston, SC sits 121% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 $18.26

$6.16 COP 20.0K

196.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$32.60 COP 106.0K

141.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 $10.01

$7.34 COP 23.9K

36.38%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$1.72 COP 5,592

193.02%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$1.05 COP 3,416

132.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.77 COP 2,511

154.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$1.69 COP 5,480

252.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$3.17 COP 10.3K

145.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.05 COP 3,418

-12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.30 COP 4,230

192.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.40 COP 4,538

130.71%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.16 COP 7,037

115.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$4.39 COP 14.3K

215.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$5.88 COP 19.1K

148.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 $17.26

$8.64 COP 28.1K

99.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.28 COP 7,415

155.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.11 COP 3,599

44.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$1.53 COP 4,976

322.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.35 COP 4,405

186.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.13 COP 3,669

223.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.13 COP 3,687

143.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.85 COP 2,749

111.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.91 COP 2,971

103.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.60 $7.60

$2.34 COP 7,619

224.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.77 $19.77

$12.37 COP 40.2K

59.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.20 COP 3,904

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.49 COP 8,094

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.84 COP 2,724

139.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 $56.3

$40.57 COP 131.9K

38.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.42 COP 4,617

107.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.92 COP 6,227

-19.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.68 $19.68

$7.66 COP 24.9K

156.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.99 COP 3,219

-16.16%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

81.92%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-8.02%

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

$138 $138

$80.8 COP 262.7K

70.83%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$9.95 COP 32.3K

440.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$24.18 COP 78.6K

197.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 $29.70

$25.08 COP 81.5K

18.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 $18.10

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-5.48%

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 $13.09

$3.98 COP 13.0K

228.89%

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

$1,304 $1,304

$305 COP 992.2K

327.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

301.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 $49.82

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.49 $36.49

$32.20 COP 104.7K

13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$101 COP 327.5K

-8.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 $158

$108 COP 350.3K

46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 $2,502

$477 COP 1.5M

425.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 $1,692

$376 COP 1.2M

349.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,473 $4,473

$845 COP 2.7M

429.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 $2,640

$730 COP 2.4M

261.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,552 $5,552

$3,215 COP 10.5M

72.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,047 $3,047

$1,372 COP 4.5M

122.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,713 $4,713

$617 COP 2.0M

664.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.43

-51.53%

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

Last update for Charleston, SC: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,502 in Charleston, SC versus $477 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 664% higher in Charleston, SC, 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 $79.0 in Charleston, SC versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 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

Charleston, SC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Charleston, SC costs about 187% 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 $4,431 per month in Charleston, SC and $1,546 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,304 per month in Charleston, SC and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 123% more in Charleston, SC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Charleston, SC at $2,954. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charleston, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $2,954 in Charleston, SC. 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, Charleston, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.