Cost of Living Comparison Between Creston and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Creston and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,310 per month in Creston vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,317 per month in Creston vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,325 per month in Creston vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Creston costs about 41% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Creston and Medellin sit above the global median – Creston by 67%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 CA$25.38

$8.04 COP 25.1K

128.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 CA$91.1

$48.29 COP 150.7K

36.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 CA$15.80

$9.42 COP 29.4K

21.55%

Cappuccino

$4.23 CA$5.84

$2.94 COP 9,169

43.88%

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

$2.11 CA$2.91

$1.86 COP 5,817

13.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.38

$1.46 COP 4,543

18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.32

$3.21 COP 10.0K

65.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CA$8.74

$5.71 COP 17.8K

10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$1.44 COP 4,491

47.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 CA$4.05

$2.40 COP 7,494

22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 CA$4.30

$1.70 COP 5,302

83.53%

Eggs

$4.37 CA$6.03

$2.89 COP 9,022

51.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 CA$13.72

$10.06 COP 31.4K

-1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 CA$13.75

$9.97 COP 31.1K

-0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 CA$20.49

$14.20 COP 44.3K

4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.28

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.83

$1.58 COP 4,947

-15.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.95

$2.15 COP 6,718

100.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.84

$2.30 COP 7,178

52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 CA$3.63

$2.00 COP 6,257

31.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$1.51 COP 4,712

35.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 CA$3.33

$1.20 COP 3,754

100.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$1.28 COP 4,002

42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 CA$18.88

$3.84 COP 12.0K

256.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 CA$18.30

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-5.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.78

$1.71 COP 5,331

60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.50

$2.74 COP 8,560

18.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.08

$1.25 COP 3,888

78.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.0 CA$89.7

$77.9 COP 243.1K

-16.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 CA$4.18

$1.31 COP 4,073

131.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.01

$2.17 COP 6,775

-32.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 CA$32.57

$8.29 COP 25.9K

184.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.65

$1.36 COP 4,231

-12.50%

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

$24.6K CA$34.0K

$27.5K COP 85.7M

-10.42%

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

$19.5K CA$26.9K

$36.5K COP 114.0M

-46.74%

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

$137 CA$190

$169 COP 526.6K

-18.56%

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

$38.94 CA$53.8

$13.57 COP 42.4K

186.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$77.0

$28.32 COP 88.4K

97.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.95 CA$53.8

$45.71 COP 142.7K

-14.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.04 CA$29.04

$17.22 COP 53.8K

22.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 CA$15.59

$6.65 COP 20.8K

69.92%

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

$679 CA$937

$803 COP 2.5M

-15.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K CA$20.0K

$9,190 COP 28.7M

57.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$74.6

$87.4 COP 272.7K

-38.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.85 CA$59.2

$59.4 COP 185.3K

-27.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 CA$130

$139 COP 433.6K

-32.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 CA$124

$102 COP 318.5K

-12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 CA$1,664

$1,071 COP 3.3M

12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 CA$1,602

$653 COP 2.0M

77.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 CA$3,136

$1,925 COP 6.0M

18.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 CA$2,573

$1,048 COP 3.3M

77.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,697 CA$5,103

$4,123 COP 12.9M

-10.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,334 CA$4,602

$1,697 COP 5.3M

96.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

10.94

-57.22%

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

Last update for Creston: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,206 in Creston versus $1,071 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 $66.0 in Creston versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $300 – 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

Creston vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Creston is pricier by about 41%, 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 $3,465 per month in Creston and $2,462 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,310 in Creston and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Creston at $2,310. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Creston 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, Creston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.