Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,601 in George Town versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,910 in George Town versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,219 in George Town versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in George Town is roughly 345% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 244% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.48 KYD 25.39

$5.92 COP 21.5K

414.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 120

$32.75 COP 119.1K

340.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 KYD 13.28

$7.20 COP 26.2K

121.39%

Cappuccino

$6.76 KYD 5.63

$1.70 COP 6,186

297.65%

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

$3.47 KYD 2.89

$1.10 COP 3,996

215.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.26

$0.72 COP 2,625

277.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.24 KYD 7.70

$1.67 COP 6,067

453.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 KYD 6.92

$3.10 COP 11.3K

167.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.99 KYD 2.49

$1.06 COP 3,837

182.08%

White Bread (500g)

$5.50 KYD 4.58

$1.25 COP 4,531

340.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.73 KYD 4.77

$1.39 COP 5,060

312.23%

Eggs

$9.69 KYD 8.07

$2.26 COP 8,229

328.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 KYD 9.90

$4.33 COP 15.8K

174.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 KYD 13.20

$5.84 COP 21.2K

171.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.72 KYD 13.93

$8.83 COP 32.1K

89.35%

Apples (1kg)

$10.44 KYD 8.70

$2.24 COP 8,159

366.07%

Banana (1kg)

$4.64 KYD 3.87

$1.08 COP 3,911

329.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.72 KYD 6.43

$1.53 COP 5,563

404.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.85 KYD 6.54

$1.37 COP 4,987

472.99%

Potato (1kg)

$5.19 KYD 4.32

$1.13 COP 4,109

359.29%

Onion (1kg)

$5.71 KYD 4.75

$1.12 COP 4,067

409.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.23 KYD 5.19

$0.85 COP 3,080

632.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 KYD 2.44

$0.91 COP 3,305

220.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.51 KYD 12.09

$2.33 COP 8,477

522.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.57 KYD 21.30

$11.13 COP 40.5K

129.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 KYD 3.25

$1.19 COP 4,342

227.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 KYD 4.33

$2.37 COP 8,617

119.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 KYD 1.99

$0.79 COP 2,859

202.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.22 KYD 25.17

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-26.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.02 KYD 15.01

$1.44 COP 5,223

1151.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.88 KYD 4.06

$1.91 COP 6,952

155.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.1 KYD 50.0

$8.02 COP 29.2K

649.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 KYD 1.42

$0.94 COP 3,410

80.85%

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

$39.4K KYD 32.8K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

119.99%

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

$34.0K KYD 28.3K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

26.86%

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

$388 KYD 323

$84.0 COP 305.4K

362.21%

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

$97.7 KYD 81.4

$9.60 COP 34.9K

917.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$111 KYD 92.2

$24.16 COP 87.9K

358.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 KYD 88.9

$25.88 COP 94.1K

312.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.78 KYD 33.97

$19.04 COP 69.3K

114.18%

Cinema Ticket

$18.19 KYD 15.16

$3.92 COP 14.2K

364.03%

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

$1,739 KYD 1,449

$306 COP 1.1M

467.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K KYD 20.5K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

316.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 KYD 75.8

$57.9 COP 210.6K

57.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 KYD 58.7

$31.82 COP 115.7K

121.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 KYD 123

$99.9 COP 363.3K

48.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 KYD 122

$107 COP 389.7K

36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 KYD 2,386

$487 COP 1.8M

488.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 KYD 2,076

$368 COP 1.3M

576.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,639 KYD 4,697

$826 COP 3.0M

582.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,569 KYD 3,806

$716 COP 2.6M

538.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,684 KYD 7,234

$2,925 COP 10.6M

196.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 KYD 1,859

$1,407 COP 5.1M

58.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,838 KYD 6,529

$546 COP 2.0M

1336.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

13.43

-38.57%

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

Last update for George Town: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,864 in George Town and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1337% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $144 in George Town vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $630 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

George Town vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town and Medellin differ by about 345% in total monthly costs ($4,601 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

George Town pays 1337% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,864 in George Town versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,601 per month in George Town versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 345% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 36% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $4,601 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, George Town and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 345% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.