Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,076 per month in East London vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,570 per month in East London vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,064 per month in East London vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

East London costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both East London and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – East London 20% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 R 113

$6.14 COP 22.2K

12.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.33 R 514

$33.05 COP 119.3K

-5.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 R 75.6

$7.32 COP 26.4K

-37.02%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 33.20

$1.66 COP 5,987

21.69%

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

$0.99 R 16.18

$1.10 COP 3,987

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.36

$0.78 COP 2,822

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 R 42.20

$1.71 COP 6,188

50.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 R 49.45

$3.17 COP 11.5K

-4.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.54

$1.11 COP 4,012

-3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 R 14.77

$1.31 COP 4,719

-31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 R 32.16

$1.38 COP 4,980

42.03%

Eggs

$2.13 R 35.00

$2.22 COP 8,009

-4.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 R 152

$4.34 COP 15.7K

114.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R 66.6

$5.80 COP 20.9K

-30.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 R 121

$8.98 COP 32.4K

-18.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.84

$2.26 COP 8,164

-30.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 R 35.30

$1.11 COP 4,023

93.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.76

$1.46 COP 5,284

-4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.32

$1.37 COP 4,929

8.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.37

$1.11 COP 4,009

34.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.32

$1.16 COP 4,199

22.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.38

$0.89 COP 3,211

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.10

$0.87 COP 3,124

5.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 42.98

$2.35 COP 8,495

11.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 77.9

$10.86 COP 39.2K

-56.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 R 28.81

$1.20 COP 4,330

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.46

$2.48 COP 8,946

2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 R 11.96

$0.79 COP 2,842

-7.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.51 R 353

$40.77 COP 147.2K

-47.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.94

$1.42 COP 5,137

-23.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.35

$1.91 COP 6,900

-50.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 R 66.6

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-46.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.93

$0.97 COP 3,490

31.96%

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

$35.7K R 585.8K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

97.36%

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

$21.9K R 358.8K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-16.85%

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

$198 R 3,243

$81.3 COP 293.5K

143.19%

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

$30.90 R 507

$9.63 COP 34.8K

220.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.08 R 739

$24.36 COP 88.0K

85.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.27 R 546

$26.02 COP 93.9K

27.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.42 R 23.33

$18.92 COP 68.3K

-92.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 R 60.0

$3.89 COP 14.0K

-5.91%

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

$119 R 1,957

$304 COP 1.1M

-60.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,233 R 69.4K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

-28.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R 850

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-11.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.88 R 474

$32.48 COP 117.2K

-11.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 R 1,725

$102 COP 367.3K

3.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 R 1,396

$108 COP 390.4K

-21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 R 4,432

$474 COP 1.7M

-43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 R 4,867

$371 COP 1.3M

-19.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 R 8,351

$848 COP 3.1M

-39.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 R 8,922

$716 COP 2.6M

-24.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,685 R 27.6K

$542 COP 2.0M

211.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-18.09%

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

Last update for East London: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in East London versus $474 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 211% higher in East London, 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 $31 in East London versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $190 – making East London 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

East London vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,076 in East London, $1,014 in Medellin – roughly 6% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,614 per month in East London and $1,522 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 $119 per month in East London and $304 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in East London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in East London at $1,076. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in East London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,014 in Medellin to $1,076 in East London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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