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: $4,572 in George Town versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,899 in George Town versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,225 in George Town versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in George Town is roughly 350% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 240% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.60 KYD 25.09

$5.95 COP 20.8K

414.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 KYD 120

$33.33 COP 116.3K

339.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.70 KYD 12.88

$7.23 COP 25.2K

117.15%

Cappuccino

$6.91 KYD 5.67

$1.63 COP 5,687

323.93%

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

$3.47 KYD 2.85

$1.09 COP 3,821

218.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 KYD 2.20

$0.73 COP 2,548

267.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.84 KYD 7.25

$1.74 COP 6,065

408.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.46 KYD 6.93

$3.23 COP 11.3K

161.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 KYD 2.45

$1.05 COP 3,662

183.81%

White Bread (500g)

$5.37 KYD 4.40

$1.29 COP 4,515

316.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.89 KYD 4.83

$1.32 COP 4,617

346.21%

Eggs

$10.24 KYD 8.39

$2.27 COP 7,927

351.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 KYD 9.54

$4.35 COP 15.2K

167.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.03 KYD 13.14

$5.88 COP 20.5K

172.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.62 KYD 13.63

$8.61 COP 30.0K

93.03%

Apples (1kg)

$10.55 KYD 8.65

$2.25 COP 7,844

368.89%

Banana (1kg)

$4.64 KYD 3.80

$1.07 COP 3,733

333.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.71 KYD 6.33

$1.52 COP 5,322

407.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.41 KYD 6.08

$1.42 COP 4,964

421.83%

Potato (1kg)

$5.43 KYD 4.45

$1.17 COP 4,084

364.10%

Onion (1kg)

$5.52 KYD 4.53

$1.17 COP 4,077

371.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.30 KYD 5.16

$0.89 COP 3,096

607.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 KYD 2.42

$0.90 COP 3,146

227.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.35 KYD 11.77

$2.25 COP 7,837

537.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.08 KYD 20.56

$11.04 COP 38.5K

127.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.95 KYD 3.24

$1.14 COP 3,977

246.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 KYD 4.41

$2.38 COP 8,301

126.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 KYD 1.95

$0.84 COP 2,916

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.94 KYD 24.55

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-28.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.78 KYD 14.58

$1.41 COP 4,912

1160.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.98 KYD 4.08

$1.90 COP 6,634

162.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.3 KYD 48.63

$7.75 COP 27.0K

665.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 KYD 1.39

$1.01 COP 3,509

68.32%

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

$39.6K KYD 32.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

125.05%

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

$34.3K KYD 28.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

29.55%

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

$396 KYD 324

$83.7 COP 292.1K

372.84%

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

$97.9 KYD 80.3

$9.45 COP 33.0K

936.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 KYD 89.9

$24.11 COP 84.1K

354.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 KYD 85.4

$25.31 COP 88.3K

311.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 KYD 33.22

$19.14 COP 66.8K

111.65%

Cinema Ticket

$17.92 KYD 14.70

$4.10 COP 14.3K

337.07%

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

$1,764 KYD 1,446

$312 COP 1.1M

465.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K KYD 20.0K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

305.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.1 KYD 74.7

$58.0 COP 202.6K

56.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.0 KYD 59.0

$32.56 COP 113.6K

121.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 KYD 124

$99.6 COP 347.7K

51.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 KYD 119

$109 COP 378.8K

33.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,836 KYD 2,326

$482 COP 1.7M

488.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 KYD 2,006

$379 COP 1.3M

544.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,518 KYD 4,525

$837 COP 2.9M

558.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,692 KYD 3,847

$723 COP 2.5M

548.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,643 KYD 7,088

$2,840 COP 9.9M

204.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,296 KYD 1,883

$1,223 COP 4.3M

87.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,728 KYD 6,337

$541 COP 1.9M

1328.78%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,836 in George Town and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1329% 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: $146 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 350% in total monthly costs ($4,572 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

George Town pays 1329% 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: $2,836 in George Town versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,572 per month in George Town versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 350% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 40% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $4,572 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 350% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.