Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlotte Amalie and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlotte Amalie and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,979 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,073 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,166 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Charlotte Amalie costs about 92% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Charlotte Amalie sits 48% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.38 $25.38

$6.16 COP 20.1K

312.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$32.60 COP 106.1K

206.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 $12.06

$7.34 COP 23.9K

64.31%

Cappuccino

$7.45 $7.45

$1.72 COP 5,600

333.14%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$1.05 COP 3,420

119.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.77 COP 2,515

201.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$1.69 COP 5,488

326.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.95 $8.95

$3.17 COP 10.3K

182.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.05 COP 3,423

166.67%

White Bread (500g)

$9.14 $9.14

$1.30 COP 4,236

603.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

Eggs

$7.13 $7.13

$2.16 COP 7,047

230.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

Wine (Bottle)

$19.86 $19.86

$12.37 COP 40.3K

60.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.99 COP 3,223

58.59%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$300 $300

$80.8 COP 263.1K

270.77%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$116 $116

$24.18 COP 78.7K

380.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 $2,014

$477 COP 1.6M

322.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 $958

$376 COP 1.2M

154.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

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)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Charlotte Amalie: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,014 in Charlotte Amalie 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Charlotte Amalie versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Charlotte Amalie vs $193 in Medellin – so Charlotte Amalie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Charlotte Amalie vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Charlotte Amalie is pricier by about 92%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,968 per month in Charlotte Amalie 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Charlotte Amalie – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Charlotte Amalie and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Charlotte Amalie at $1,979. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charlotte Amalie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Charlotte Amalie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.