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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in George versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,760 in George versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,441 in George versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in George is roughly 4% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: George 19% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 R 187

$5.92 COP 21.4K

88.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.91 R 636

$32.75 COP 118.2K

15.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 R 85.8

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-28.89%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R 32.44

$1.70 COP 6,140

13.53%

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

$1.52 R 25.52

$1.10 COP 3,966

38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 20.29

$0.72 COP 2,605

68.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 R 42.50

$1.67 COP 6,022

51.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 R 49.75

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-4.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R 18.48

$1.06 COP 3,809

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 18.51

$1.25 COP 4,497

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.82

$1.39 COP 5,022

15.11%

Eggs

$2.99 R 50.1

$2.26 COP 8,168

32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 R 163

$4.33 COP 15.6K

124.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 R 78.9

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-19.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 R 129

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-12.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 R 29.55

$2.24 COP 8,099

-21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.18

$1.08 COP 3,882

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 R 24.00

$1.53 COP 5,522

-6.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.97

$1.37 COP 4,950

13.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.30

$1.13 COP 4,078

38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.71

$1.12 COP 4,036

58.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 21.46

$0.85 COP 3,057

50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.83

$0.91 COP 3,281

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 R 52.4

$2.33 COP 8,414

33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 R 79.0

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-57.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 20.28

$1.19 COP 4,309

1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 R 26.94

$2.37 COP 8,553

-32.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R 12.90

$0.79 COP 2,838

-2.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.75 R 432

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-37.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 19.06

$1.44 COP 5,184

-20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R 14.83

$1.91 COP 6,901

-53.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 68.3

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-49.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 R 19.69

$0.94 COP 3,385

24.47%

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

$20.9K R 350.9K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

16.75%

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

$20.5K R 344.5K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-23.33%

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

$129 R 2,161

$84.0 COP 303.1K

53.51%

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

$15.95 R 268

$9.60 COP 34.7K

66.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 R 878

$24.16 COP 87.2K

116.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.18 R 456

$25.88 COP 93.4K

5.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.30 R 190

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-40.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 R 96.1

$3.92 COP 14.1K

46.17%

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

$125 R 2,097

$306 COP 1.1M

-59.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,785 R 80.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-19.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 R 1,216

$57.9 COP 209.1K

25.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.91 R 535

$31.82 COP 114.9K

0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 R 1,649

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 R 1,480

$107 COP 386.8K

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 R 6,537

$487 COP 1.8M

-19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 R 5,564

$368 COP 1.3M

-9.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 R 12.1K

$826 COP 3.0M

-12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 R 13.2K

$716 COP 2.6M

9.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$720 R 12.1K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-75.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$542 R 9,093

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-61.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,327 R 22.3K

$546 COP 2.0M

143.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.88

13.43

-18.99%

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

Last update for George: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in George and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 143% 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: $38.00 in George vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 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 vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

George pays 143% 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: $390 in George versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $38.00 in George. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,078 per month in George versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,078 in George, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in George. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in George, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George 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 4% less than in George. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.