🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $990 in Grahamstown versus $1,034 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,554 in Grahamstown versus $1,577 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Grahamstown versus $2,120 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Grahamstown costs roughly 4% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Grahamstown26% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.75R 147
$5.92COP 21.4K
47.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.13R 572
$32.75COP 118.2K
4.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.00R 83.8
$7.20COP 26.0K
-30.56%
Cappuccino
$2.03R 34.02
$1.70COP 6,140
19.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03R 17.33
$1.10COP 3,966
-6.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81R 13.65
$0.72COP 2,605
12.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21R 37.12
$1.67COP 6,022
32.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48R 41.52
$3.10COP 11.2K
-20.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11R 18.61
$1.06COP 3,809
4.72%
White Bread(500g)
$1.06R 17.76
$1.25COP 4,497
-15.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57R 26.37
$1.39COP 5,022
12.95%
Eggs
$2.42R 40.56
$2.26COP 8,168
7.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.93R 133
$4.33COP 15.6K
83.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.53R 76.0
$5.84COP 21.1K
-22.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.62R 111
$8.83COP 31.9K
-25.03%
Apples(1kg)
$1.61R 26.96
$2.24COP 8,099
-28.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.52R 25.42
$1.08COP 3,882
40.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.49R 24.99
$1.53COP 5,522
-2.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59R 26.67
$1.37COP 4,950
16.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38R 23.12
$1.13COP 4,078
22.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.18R 19.86
$1.12COP 4,036
5.36%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08R 18.17
$0.85COP 3,057
27.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97R 16.24
$0.91COP 3,281
6.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.86R 48.02
$2.33COP 8,414
22.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.95R 83.0
$11.13COP 40.2K
-55.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34R 22.44
$1.19COP 4,309
12.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71R 28.75
$2.37COP 8,553
-27.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.60R 26.88
$0.79COP 2,838
102.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 148.5K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.13R 19.03
$1.44COP 5,184
-21.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.89R 15.00
$1.91COP 6,901
-53.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.92R 65.7
$8.02COP 28.9K
-51.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25R 20.90
$0.94COP 3,385
32.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2KR 355.1K
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
18.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5KR 393.3K
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
-12.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$118R 1,983
$84.0COP 303.1K
40.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.40R 594
$9.60COP 34.7K
268.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.04R 688
$24.16COP 87.2K
69.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.78R 516
$25.88COP 93.4K
18.93%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.61R 111
$3.92COP 14.1K
68.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197R 3,310
$306COP 1.1M
-35.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,392R 73.7K
$5,919COP 21.4M
-25.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.4R 862
$57.9COP 209.1K
-11.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.50R 545
$31.82COP 114.9K
2.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.9R 1,507
$99.9COP 360.6K
-10.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.8R 1,338
$107COP 386.8K
-25.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$366R 6,130
$487COP 1.8M
-24.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$328R 5,506
$368COP 1.3M
-10.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$676R 11.3K
$826COP 3.0M
-18.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$677R 11.4K
$716COP 2.6M
-5.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$876R 14.7K
$2,925COP 10.6M
-70.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$598R 10.0K
$1,407COP 5.1M
-57.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grahamstown
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,195R 20.0K
$546COP 2.0M
119.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.51
13.43
-14.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Grahamstown: April 28, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Grahamstown and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Grahamstown pays 119% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $34.00 in Grahamstown vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $178 vs $190, with Grahamstown cheaper for home cooking.
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
Grahamstown vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Grahamstown or Medellin?
Grahamstown wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Grahamstown the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Grahamstown or Medellin?
Grahamstown pays 119% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Grahamstown vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $366 in Grahamstown versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Grahamstown or Medellin?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Grahamstown compared to Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $990 per month in Grahamstown versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Grahamstown or Medellin?
At $990 in Grahamstown versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Grahamstown but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Grahamstown the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Grahamstown or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Grahamstown delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $990 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Grahamstown hard to pass up.
How safe is Grahamstown compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Grahamstown 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Grahamstown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Grahamstown vs other spots: cost of living compared