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 $1,051 per month in East London vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,562 per month in East London vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,074 per month in East London vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

East London costs about 5% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both East London and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – East London 21% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 R 108

$5.91 COP 18.6K

10.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 R 505

$32.96 COP 103.9K

-7.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 R 73.9

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-39.84%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R 34.48

$1.65 COP 5,211

26.06%

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

$1.01 R 16.64

$1.10 COP 3,471

-8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R 14.22

$0.78 COP 2,460

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 R 40.64

$1.72 COP 5,416

43.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 R 50.3

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-4.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R 16.90

$1.10 COP 3,477

-7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 15.01

$1.26 COP 3,965

-27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 R 34.36

$1.38 COP 4,353

50.72%

Eggs

$2.05 R 33.89

$2.18 COP 6,864

-5.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 R 155

$4.49 COP 14.2K

108.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 R 68.4

$5.79 COP 18.3K

-28.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 R 124

$8.97 COP 28.3K

-16.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.23

$2.32 COP 7,314

-31.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 R 33.96

$1.06 COP 3,355

93.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.79

$1.52 COP 4,778

-9.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R 24.15

$1.36 COP 4,273

7.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.74

$1.13 COP 3,555

38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.61

$1.17 COP 3,692

27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.09

$0.90 COP 2,840

21.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.37

$0.90 COP 2,826

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 43.40

$2.23 COP 7,039

17.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.65 R 76.9

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-61.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 R 28.55

$1.19 COP 3,746

45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.89

$2.48 COP 7,822

2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 R 11.19

$0.85 COP 2,690

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.98 R 364

$41.62 COP 131.1K

-47.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.90

$1.42 COP 4,462

-19.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.67

$1.95 COP 6,146

-51.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 67.4

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-48.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 21.08

$0.99 COP 3,121

28.28%

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

$37.1K R 613.2K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

110.62%

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

$22.3K R 368.9K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-16.78%

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

$196 R 3,243

$83.0 COP 261.6K

136.18%

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

$29.96 R 496

$9.70 COP 30.6K

208.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.04 R 745

$23.52 COP 74.1K

91.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.20 R 566

$25.26 COP 79.6K

35.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.38 R 22.75

$19.10 COP 60.2K

-92.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.68 R 60.9

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-6.84%

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

$117 R 1,936

$316 COP 995.1K

-62.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,123 R 68.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-30.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 R 865

$60.0 COP 189.1K

-12.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 R 480

$31.82 COP 100.3K

-8.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 R 1,794

$102 COP 320.4K

6.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 R 1,442

$107 COP 338.6K

-18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 R 4,315

$475 COP 1.5M

-45.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 R 4,902

$374 COP 1.2M

-20.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 R 8,362

$849 COP 2.7M

-40.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R 9,281

$719 COP 2.3M

-22.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 R 26.9K

$624 COP 2.0M

160.70%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in East London versus $475 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 161% 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 $31.00 in East London versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $193 – 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: $1,051 in East London, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 5% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,576 per month in East London and $1,504 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 $117 per month in East London and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $1,003, than in East London at $1,051. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,051 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.