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 $3,323 per month in Charleston, SC vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,806 per month in Charleston, SC vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,288 per month in Charleston, SC vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Charleston, SC costs about 94% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Charleston, SC and Medellin sit above the global median – Charleston, SC by 142%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$8.03 COP 25.3K

148.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 $141

$48.26 COP 152.0K

192.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$9.77 COP 30.8K

21.70%

Cappuccino

$6.00 $6.00

$2.91 COP 9,167

106.19%

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

$2.85 $2.85

$1.94 COP 6,122

46.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.52 COP 4,792

48.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.58 $6.58

$3.09 COP 9,740

112.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 $7.89

$5.74 COP 18.1K

37.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.36 COP 4,296

-15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.39 COP 7,519

71.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.70 COP 5,356

168.82%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$2.87 COP 9,038

93.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.14 $23.14

$9.94 COP 31.3K

132.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 $14.28

$10.78 COP 34.0K

32.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.69 $20.69

$14.73 COP 46.4K

40.46%

Apples (1kg)

$8.07 $8.07

$4.09 COP 12.9K

97.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.57 COP 4,950

18.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.13 COP 6,695

144.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$2.21 COP 6,972

222.17%

Potato (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.05 COP 6,447

143.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.50 COP 4,737

146.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.19 COP 3,747

141.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.16 COP 3,647

181.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$3.90 COP 12.3K

159.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.90 $19.90

$14.44 COP 45.5K

37.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.58 COP 4,987

74.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.83 COP 8,905

3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.17 COP 3,679

76.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 $56.6

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-27.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.28 COP 4,045

131.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$2.09 COP 6,589

-42.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.75 $31.75

$8.62 COP 27.1K

268.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.30 COP 4,088

-27.69%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

27.16%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-29.64%

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

$230 $230

$176 COP 554.5K

30.45%

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

$79.0 $79.0

$13.37 COP 42.1K

490.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.1 $85.1

$29.89 COP 94.1K

184.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.03 $46.03

$44.76 COP 141.0K

2.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.71 $19.71

$17.06 COP 53.7K

15.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 $13.73

$6.20 COP 19.5K

121.45%

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

$1,244 $1,244

$793 COP 2.5M

56.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K $28.0K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

210.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-10.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.89 $46.89

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-19.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$136 COP 429.3K

-15.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$103 COP 324.7K

32.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,335 $2,335

$1,060 COP 3.3M

120.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 $1,730

$680 COP 2.1M

154.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,489 $3,489

$2,012 COP 6.3M

73.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$1,169 COP 3.7M

125.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,541 $5,541

$4,111 COP 12.9M

34.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,034 $3,034

$1,701 COP 5.4M

78.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,548 $4,548

$665 COP 2.1M

583.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

10.94

-44.52%

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

Last update for Charleston, SC: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,335 in Charleston, SC versus $1,060 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 584% 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 $141 in Charleston, SC versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $536 vs $303 – 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 94% 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 $4,985 per month in Charleston, SC and $2,574 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 $1,244 per month in Charleston, SC and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Charleston, SC at $3,323. 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 $1,716 versus $3,323 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.