Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheltenham and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,327 in Cheltenham, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cheltenham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,327
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cheltenham and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cheltenham and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,327 in Cheltenham versus $1,614 in Medellin.

  • Cheltenham $2,327
  • Medellin $1,614

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,528 in Cheltenham versus $2,402 in Medellin.

  • Cheltenham $3,528
  • Medellin $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,729 in Cheltenham versus $3,190 in Medellin.

  • Cheltenham $4,729
  • Medellin $3,190

Living in Cheltenham is roughly 44% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cheltenham 72% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.67 £17.75
$7.93 COP 25.2K
198.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$105 £79.1
$46.13 COP 146.3K
128.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.03 £8.28
$9.50 COP 30.1K
16.11%
Cappuccino
$4.89 £3.67
$3.11 COP 9,866
57.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 £1.92
$1.83 COP 5,800
39.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 £1.31
$1.38 COP 4,360
26.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.76 £5.82
$3.05 COP 9,672
154.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.54 £4.91
$5.50 COP 17.4K
18.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 £1.30
$1.45 COP 4,600
19.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 £1.29
$2.36 COP 7,496
-27.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.99 £1.49
$1.68 COP 5,328
18.45%
Eggs
$4.43 £3.33
$2.86 COP 9,077
54.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.19 £6.15
$10.19 COP 32.3K
-19.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.59 £7.19
$9.53 COP 30.2K
0.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.09 £9.82
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-6.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 £2.32
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-23.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 £1.07
$1.50 COP 4,742
-4.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 £1.45
$2.17 COP 6,891
-11.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.49 £2.62
$2.31 COP 7,310
51.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 £1.14
$1.93 COP 6,113
-21.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 £1.13
$1.64 COP 5,196
-7.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 £0.91
$1.13 COP 3,571
7.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 £1.07
$1.25 COP 3,954
13.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.12 £17.35
$3.99 COP 12.6K
479.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.63 £7.98
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-20.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.86 £2.15
$1.70 COP 5,384
68.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 £2.20
$2.37 COP 7,525
23.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.44 £2.58
$1.21 COP 3,827
184.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$92.5 £69.4
$76.5 COP 242.5K
20.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 £2.65
$1.32 COP 4,179
167.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 £1.23
$2.14 COP 6,774
-23.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.85 £20.14
$8.47 COP 26.8K
217.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 £1.40
$1.30 COP 4,114
43.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.1K £27.8K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
32.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K £30.9K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
16.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$341 £256
$172 COP 545.6K
97.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.10 £12.83
$13.37 COP 42.4K
27.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.0 £38.24
$28.73 COP 91.1K
77.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.28 £33.22
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-2.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$39.01 £29.27
$17.04 COP 54.0K
128.93%
Cinema Ticket
$14.00 £10.50
$6.28 COP 19.9K
122.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,020 £1,516
$770 COP 2.4M
162.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.2K £18.9K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
179.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.2 £73.7
$86.4 COP 274.0K
13.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.22 £36.18
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-15.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £79.4
$137 COP 432.9K
-22.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.9 £72.7
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-1.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,161 £871
$1,055 COP 3.3M
10.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$929 £697
$616 COP 2.0M
50.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 £1,613
$1,892 COP 6.0M
13.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,617 £1,213
$1,023 COP 3.2M
58.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,704 £4,279
$4,059 COP 12.9M
40.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,676 £4,258
$1,678 COP 5.3M
238.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cheltenham
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,753 £3,566
$652 COP 2.1M
628.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.54
10.94
-49.36%

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

Last update for Cheltenham: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cheltenham
$929
Medellin
$616 33.7% $313
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cheltenham
$409
Medellin
$214 47.6% $195
Eating Out
Cheltenham
$350
Medellin
$168 51.9% $182
Groceries & Markets
Cheltenham
$292
Medellin
$295 0.9% $2.6
Clothing & Footwear
Cheltenham
$157
Medellin
$170 8.3% $13
Getting Around
Cheltenham
$118
Medellin
$93 20.9% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Cheltenham
$72
Medellin
$58 20% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,161 in Cheltenham and $1,055 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheltenham pays 629% 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: $105 in Cheltenham vs $46.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $295, with Cheltenham cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Cheltenham
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
16:52 4:52 PM
10:52 10:52 AM
6 h behind Cheltenham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
115,300
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cheltenham Medellin 8,330 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cheltenham
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Cheltenham vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Cheltenham?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and leisure. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cheltenham or Medellin?
Average pay runs 629% higher in Cheltenham, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Cheltenham and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,161 in Cheltenham versus $1,055 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Cheltenham or in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $105 in Cheltenham. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Cheltenham and in Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $2,327 per month in Cheltenham versus $1,614 in Medellin – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Cheltenham or in Medellin?
At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,327 in Cheltenham, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cheltenham. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cheltenham or Medellin more family-friendly?
For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cheltenham, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cheltenham or Medellin?
Safety-wise, Cheltenham 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Cheltenham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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