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 $1,045 per month in East London vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,696 per month in East London vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,347 per month in East London vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

East London is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

East London sits 24% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 R 151

$8.02 COP 25.3K

16.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 R 622

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-20.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 R 93.9

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-41.56%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.49

$3.13 COP 9,873

-32.27%

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

$1.09 R 17.65

$1.91 COP 6,019

-42.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 12.94

$1.51 COP 4,763

-47.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 46.18

$3.12 COP 9,853

-8.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 R 51.6

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-44.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.56

$1.44 COP 4,558

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 16.04

$2.49 COP 7,843

-60.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.32

$1.77 COP 5,595

-15.25%

Eggs

$2.21 R 35.95

$2.96 COP 9,336

-25.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 R 147

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-10.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 R 90.0

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-45.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R 138

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-40.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.43

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-63.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.75

$1.61 COP 5,073

-1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.25

$2.25 COP 7,083

-22.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.01

$2.25 COP 7,104

-31.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.77

$2.04 COP 6,444

-16.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.85

$1.54 COP 4,842

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 R 19.53

$1.17 COP 3,691

2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 14.95

$1.31 COP 4,121

-29.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 R 47.46

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-25.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.99 R 81.1

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.25

$1.74 COP 5,498

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 R 29.40

$2.87 COP 9,053

-36.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 R 24.78

$1.22 COP 3,834

24.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.19 R 783

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-40.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 R 19.59

$1.31 COP 4,129

-7.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R 8.16

$2.19 COP 6,899

-77.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 R 138

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-2.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R 21.66

$1.37 COP 4,306

-2.92%

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

$36.2K R 588.0K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

29.95%

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

$29.4K R 478.3K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-17.75%

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

$124 R 2,018

$177 COP 559.3K

-29.97%

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

$33.92 R 551

$13.88 COP 43.8K

144.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.33 R 721

$29.72 COP 93.8K

49.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.59 R 644

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-11.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 R 78.4

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-27.52%

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

$179 R 2,913

$813 COP 2.6M

-77.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,458 R 88.7K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-40.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R 952

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-34.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 R 558

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-41.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 R 1,187

$138 COP 435.9K

-47.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 R 1,626

$102 COP 322.1K

-2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 R 4,787

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-72.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 R 4,141

$663 COP 2.1M

-61.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 R 8,916

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-70.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 R 10.7K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-36.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,704 R 27.7K

$678 COP 2.1M

151.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

0.55%

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

Last update for East London: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in East London versus $1,062 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 151% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in East London versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $305 – 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: $1,045 in East London, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 61% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,567 per month in East London and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in East London and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Medellin at $1,681. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,045 in East London to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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