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 $2,987 per month in Charleston, SC vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,266 per month in Charleston, SC vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,544 per month in Charleston, SC vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Charleston, SC costs about 195% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Charleston, SC sits 123% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 $18.31

$5.99 COP 21.4K

205.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$32.86 COP 117.2K

139.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$7.09 COP 25.3K

43.58%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$1.71 COP 6,105

192.40%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$1.10 COP 3,918

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.78 COP 2,776

141.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$1.68 COP 5,987

267.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 $7.76

$3.07 COP 10.9K

152.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.09 COP 3,899

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.26 COP 4,500

203.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.38 COP 4,914

130.43%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$2.19 COP 7,813

113.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$4.40 COP 15.7K

218.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.05 $15.05

$5.63 COP 20.1K

167.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 $17.20

$8.89 COP 31.7K

93.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.34 COP 8,334

144.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.06 COP 3,771

56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$1.50 COP 5,365

328.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.38 COP 4,915

193.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.15 COP 4,104

233.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.16 COP 4,148

146.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.89 COP 3,176

102.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.84 COP 2,992

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 $7.30

$2.28 COP 8,131

220.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.70 $19.70

$10.64 COP 37.9K

85.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.20 COP 4,276

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.47 COP 8,809

28.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.86 COP 3,051

137.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 $57.5

$41.40 COP 147.6K

38.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.47 COP 5,255

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.96 COP 6,997

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$7.74 COP 27.6K

154.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.95 COP 3,403

-18.95%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

82.99%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-7.14%

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

$143 $143

$82.3 COP 293.2K

73.25%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$9.50 COP 33.9K

466.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$24.23 COP 86.4K

202.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.48 $29.48

$25.89 COP 92.3K

13.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 $18.21

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-4.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 $13.10

$3.93 COP 14.0K

233.33%

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

$1,326 $1,326

$309 COP 1.1M

328.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

314.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 $49.37

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-15.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 $35.46

$32.35 COP 115.3K

9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 $92.4

$103 COP 365.7K

-9.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$108 COP 386.5K

43.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 $2,511

$476 COP 1.7M

427.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$379 COP 1.4M

355.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,406 $4,406

$838 COP 3.0M

425.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 $2,698

$724 COP 2.6M

272.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,667 $5,667

$2,791 COP 9.9M

103.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,973 $2,973

$1,211 COP 4.3M

145.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,627 $4,627

$512 COP 1.8M

804.19%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,511 in Charleston, SC versus $476 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 804% 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: $436 vs $188 – 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 195% 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 $4,480 per month in Charleston, SC and $1,519 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 $1,326 per month in Charleston, SC and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 131% 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 $1,013, than in Charleston, SC at $2,987. 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 $1,013 versus $2,987 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.