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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,383 per month in Creston vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,385 per month in Creston vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Creston vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Creston costs about 135% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Creston sits 78% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.04 CA$23.70

$5.99 COP 21.3K

184.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 CA$95.8

$32.86 COP 116.9K

109.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 CA$15.42

$7.09 COP 25.2K

56.42%

Cappuccino

$3.06 CA$4.25

$1.71 COP 6,093

78.95%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.10 COP 3,910

80.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.38

$0.78 COP 2,771

119.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 CA$7.82

$1.68 COP 5,976

235.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$7.98

$3.07 COP 10.9K

86.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.09 COP 3,892

100.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 CA$5.08

$1.26 COP 4,492

189.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.97

$1.38 COP 4,905

158.70%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.79

$2.19 COP 7,799

57.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 CA$15.43

$4.40 COP 15.7K

152.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 CA$16.58

$5.63 COP 20.0K

111.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 CA$20.79

$8.89 COP 31.6K

68.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.49

$2.34 COP 8,319

68.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.06 COP 3,764

28.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$1.50 COP 5,355

148.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.29

$1.38 COP 4,906

175.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.45

$1.15 COP 4,097

115.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.48

$1.16 COP 4,141

115.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$0.89 COP 3,170

183.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$0.84 COP 2,986

104.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 CA$19.41

$2.28 COP 8,116

512.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.20 CA$18.36

$10.64 COP 37.9K

24.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.06

$1.20 COP 4,268

143.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.36

$2.47 COP 8,793

27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$0.86 COP 3,045

182.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 CA$89.0

$41.40 COP 147.3K

54.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.44

$1.47 COP 5,245

117.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.96 COP 6,984

-23.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$36.02

$7.74 COP 27.5K

234.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$0.95 COP 3,397

21.05%

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

$24.7K CA$34.4K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

36.34%

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

$20.6K CA$28.7K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-22.10%

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

$142 CA$197

$82.3 COP 292.7K

72.17%

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

$43.45 CA$60.4

$9.50 COP 33.8K

357.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CA$88.1

$24.23 COP 86.2K

161.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 CA$59.2

$25.89 COP 92.1K

64.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$13.39 CA$18.62

$3.93 COP 14.0K

240.71%

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

$725 CA$1,008

$309 COP 1.1M

134.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

98.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.3

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-8.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.38 CA$56.2

$32.35 COP 115.1K

24.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 CA$150

$103 COP 365.1K

4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$108 COP 385.8K

-2.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,806

$476 COP 1.7M

172.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,654

$379 COP 1.3M

213.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 CA$2,858

$838 COP 3.0M

145.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 CA$2,518

$724 COP 2.6M

150.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,760 CA$6,619

$2,791 COP 9.9M

70.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,840 CA$5,340

$1,211 COP 4.3M

217.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

13.43

-51.90%

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

Last update for Creston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,299 in Creston 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Creston versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 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

Creston vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Creston is pricier by about 135%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,574 per month in Creston 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,383 in Creston and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Creston at $2,383. 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.