😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,358 in Grecia versus $1,031 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,852 in Grecia versus $1,599 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,346 in Grecia versus $2,167 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Grecia is roughly 32% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Grecia is 2% above, Medellin is 23% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.68₡3,883
$6.16COP 20.1K
40.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.25₡17.6K
$32.60COP 106.1K
20.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.26₡4,144
$7.34COP 23.9K
26.16%
Cappuccino
$2.54₡1,135
$1.72COP 5,599
47.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36₡609
$1.05COP 3,420
29.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01₡450
$0.77COP 2,515
31.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.11₡945
$1.69COP 5,487
24.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64₡1,183
$3.17COP 10.3K
-16.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.83₡819
$1.05COP 3,423
74.29%
White Bread(500g)
$0.94₡422
$1.30COP 4,236
-27.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.15₡963
$1.40COP 4,544
53.57%
Eggs
$2.99₡1,336
$2.16COP 7,046
38.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.01₡2,689
$4.39COP 14.3K
36.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.87₡1,730
$5.88COP 19.1K
-34.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.82₡6,181
$8.64COP 28.1K
59.95%
Apples(1kg)
$2.15₡961
$2.28COP 7,425
-5.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45₡647
$1.11COP 3,603
30.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.22₡544
$1.53COP 4,982
-20.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.17₡523
$1.35COP 4,410
-13.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.60₡717
$1.13COP 3,674
41.59%
Onion(1kg)
$1.35₡604
$1.13COP 3,692
19.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04₡463
$0.85COP 2,753
22.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.96₡878
$0.91COP 2,975
115.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.41₡2,422
$2.34COP 7,629
131.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.54₡5,610
$12.37COP 40.3K
1.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84₡822
$1.20COP 3,909
53.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36₡608
$2.49COP 8,104
-45.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.77₡792
$0.84COP 2,727
110.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$40.57COP 132.1K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.83₡820
$1.42COP 4,623
28.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.79₡802
$1.92COP 6,235
-6.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.08₡3,613
$7.66COP 24.9K
5.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.40₡625
$0.99COP 3,223
41.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.0K₡17.0M
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
110.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K₡14.7M
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
23.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.1₡37.2K
$80.8COP 263.1K
2.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.00₡11.6K
$9.95COP 32.4K
161.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.6₡26.2K
$24.18COP 78.7K
142.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.28₡19.8K
$25.08COP 81.6K
76.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.95₡10.7K
$19.15COP 62.3K
25.07%
Cinema Ticket
$7.04₡3,149
$3.98COP 13.0K
76.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576₡257.5K
$305COP 993.4K
88.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.4K₡5.6M
$6,059COP 19.7M
105.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.6₡27.6K
$58.1COP 189.2K
5.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6₡22.6K
$32.20COP 104.8K
57.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$127₡56.6K
$101COP 327.9K
25.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106₡47.5K
$108COP 350.8K
-1.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$391₡174.9K
$477COP 1.6M
-17.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$600₡268.3K
$376COP 1.2M
59.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$709₡317.2K
$845COP 2.7M
-16.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$621₡277.7K
$730COP 2.4M
-15.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,215COP 10.5M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,372COP 4.5M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grecia
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$652₡291.6K
$617COP 2.0M
5.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.17
13.43
-24.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Grecia: July 13, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Grecia and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Grecia pays 6% 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: $39.00 in Grecia vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $193 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
Grecia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Grecia or Medellin?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Grecia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Grecia or in Medellin?
Average pay runs 6% higher in Grecia, 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 Grecia compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $391 in Grecia versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Grecia and in Medellin?
Childcare runs $576 in Grecia versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Grecia and in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $39.00 in Grecia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Grecia or in Medellin?
At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,358 in Grecia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Grecia. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Grecia or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Grecia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.