Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeongju and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeongju: $1,236 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Gyeongju
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Gyeongju Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Gyeongju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,236

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gyeongju and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gyeongju and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Gyeongju vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

Gyeongju $1,236
Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $2,053 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

Gyeongju $2,053
Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $2,871 per month in Gyeongju vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

Gyeongju $2,871
Medellin $3,249

Gyeongju is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Gyeongju sits 9% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 ₩9,898

$8.34 COP 26.9K

-11.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.59 ₩63.8K

$46.53 COP 150.1K

2.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 ₩8,652

$9.47 COP 30.5K

-31.89%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₩4,005

$3.13 COP 10.1K

-4.47%

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

$1.13 ₩1,518

$1.77 COP 5,696

-36.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₩482

$1.42 COP 4,594

-74.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₩3,507

$3.15 COP 10.2K

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ₩5,640

$5.70 COP 18.4K

-26.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₩3,117

$1.53 COP 4,943

52.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ₩3,394

$2.29 COP 7,389

10.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,122

$1.94 COP 6,273

58.25%

Eggs

$2.57 ₩3,450

$3.07 COP 9,889

-16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 ₩14.5K

$9.99 COP 32.2K

8.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.34 ₩13.9K

$10.45 COP 33.7K

-1.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.74 ₩25.1K

$13.96 COP 45.0K

34.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 ₩5,930

$4.05 COP 13.1K

9.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 ₩3,577

$1.53 COP 4,929

74.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 ₩5,003

$2.10 COP 6,786

77.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 ₩4,896

$2.29 COP 7,397

59.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 ₩3,406

$2.11 COP 6,803

20.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 ₩3,043

$1.71 COP 5,512

32.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₩2,921

$1.17 COP 3,774

86.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₩1,761

$1.58 COP 5,096

-17.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩4,556

$3.91 COP 12.6K

-13.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 ₩20.0K

$14.04 COP 45.3K

6.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₩1,463

$1.76 COP 5,682

-38.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₩2,901

$2.71 COP 8,746

-20.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₩1,379

$1.18 COP 3,805

-12.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₩4,014

$1.81 COP 5,827

65.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₩828

$2.13 COP 6,867

-70.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.01 ₩20.1K

$8.13 COP 26.2K

84.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ₩1,417

$1.28 COP 4,113

-17.19%

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

$38.5K ₩51.6M

$34.4K COP 111.1M

11.86%

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

$33.9K ₩45.5M

$34.1K COP 110.1M

-0.65%

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

$79.4 ₩106.5K

$178 COP 573.2K

-55.31%

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

$36.57 ₩49.0K

$13.89 COP 44.8K

163.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 ₩36.6K

$30.74 COP 99.1K

-11.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ₩72.9K

$41.94 COP 135.3K

29.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.33 ₩20.5K

$16.80 COP 54.2K

-8.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩15.0K

$7.47 COP 24.1K

49.93%

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

$639 ₩856.6K

$790 COP 2.5M

-19.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.5M

$12.3K COP 39.7M

78.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.27 ₩59.4K

$86.3 COP 278.4K

-48.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.44 ₩30.1K

$59.3 COP 191.1K

-62.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 ₩126.0K

$138 COP 446.2K

-32.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₩166.6K

$98.8 COP 318.7K

25.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₩576.0K

$1,341 COP 4.3M

-67.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 ₩504.7K

$667 COP 2.2M

-43.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 ₩1.5M

$1,976 COP 6.4M

-41.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 ₩1.2M

$1,033 COP 3.3M

-16.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,043 ₩8.1M

$4,098 COP 13.2M

47.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₩8.0M

$1,940 COP 6.3M

209.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,851 ₩2.5M

$646 COP 2.1M

186.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

10.94

-61.43%

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

Last update for Gyeongju: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Gyeongju

$376 30.5%

Medellin

$667 39.4% 77.2% $291

Groceries & Markets

Gyeongju

$359 29.1%

Medellin

$307 18.2% 14.4% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gyeongju

$143 11.6%

Medellin

$222 13.1% 55.2% $79

Eating Out

Gyeongju

$142 11.5%

Medellin

$173 10.2% 21.8% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Gyeongju

$128 10.4%

Medellin

$172 10.2% 34.3% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Gyeongju

$77 6.2%

Medellin

$57 3.4% 25.9% $20

Getting Around

Gyeongju

$10 * 0.8%

Medellin

$93 5.5% 816% $83

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Gyeongju versus $1,341 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Gyeongju are about 2.9 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Gyeongju versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $307 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Gyeongju

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

19:07 7:07 PM

05:07 5:07 AM

14 h behind Gyeongju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

258,156

2,486,723

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,341 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,624 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Gyeongju Medellin 14,660 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Gyeongju
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Gyeongju vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,854 per month in Gyeongju and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gyeongju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $430 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

Kindergarten costs $639 per month in Gyeongju and $790 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gyeongju, where all-in costs run around $1,236, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Gyeongju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gyeongju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.