Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,107 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Jeju
Learn more

Jeju Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,107

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeju 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 Jeju and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Jeju vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

Jeju $1,107
Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Jeju vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

Jeju $1,900
Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $2,694 per month in Jeju vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

Jeju $2,694
Medellin $3,190

Jeju is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 18% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 ₩9,835

$7.93 COP 25.2K

-6.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 ₩70.7K

$46.13 COP 146.3K

15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ₩7,233

$9.50 COP 30.1K

-42.74%

Cappuccino

$5.75 ₩7,640

$3.11 COP 9,866

84.89%

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

$2.21 ₩2,945

$1.83 COP 5,800

20.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₩2,575

$1.38 COP 4,360

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 ₩4,578

$3.05 COP 9,672

12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₩4,050

$5.50 COP 17.4K

-44.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩2,998

$1.45 COP 4,600

55.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 ₩3,060

$2.36 COP 7,496

-2.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₩2,941

$1.68 COP 5,328

31.55%

Eggs

$2.59 ₩3,444

$2.86 COP 9,077

-9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ₩2,867

$1.50 COP 4,742

44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,047

$1.93 COP 6,113

57.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 ₩2,454

$1.64 COP 5,196

12.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 ₩2,908

$1.13 COP 3,571

93.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩620

$1.25 COP 3,954

-62.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 ₩14.9K

$13.35 COP 42.3K

-15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₩2,490

$1.70 COP 5,384

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₩2,200

$2.37 COP 7,525

-30.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₩1,370

$1.21 COP 3,827

-14.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₩1,762

$1.30 COP 4,114

2.31%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

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

$216 ₩287.8K

$172 COP 545.6K

25.79%

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

$53.7 ₩71.4K

$13.37 COP 42.4K

301.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.50 ₩25.9K

$28.73 COP 91.1K

-32.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

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

$770 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K ₩33.6M

$9,011 COP 28.6M

180.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 ₩68.6K

$86.4 COP 274.0K

-40.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 ₩40.4K

$57.1 COP 181.1K

-46.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 ₩88.5K

$137 COP 432.9K

-51.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 ₩119.2K

$97.9 COP 310.4K

-8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₩614.5K

$1,055 COP 3.3M

-56.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₩506.9K

$616 COP 2.0M

-38.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 ₩1.8M

$1,892 COP 6.0M

-27.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 ₩1.6M

$1,023 COP 3.2M

14.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K ₩13.8M

$4,059 COP 12.9M

154.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,733 ₩9.0M

$1,678 COP 5.3M

301.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 ₩2.5M

$652 COP 2.1M

184.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Jeju: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

$381 34.5%

Medellin

$616 38.2% 61.5% $235

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

$290 26.2%

Medellin

$214 13.3% 26.1% $76

Eating Out

Jeju

$184 16.7%

Medellin

$168 10.4% 8.7% $16

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

$140 * 12.7%

Medellin

$295 18.3% 111% $155

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

$107 9.7%

Medellin

$170 10.5% 58.7% $63

Getting Around

Jeju

$4.1 * 0.4%

Medellin

$93 5.8% 2165% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

- * 0%

Medellin

$58 3.6%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $462 in Jeju versus $1,055 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 run about 185% higher in Jeju, 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 $53.0 in Jeju versus $46.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $140 in Jeju vs $295 in Medellin – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

10:03 10:03 AM

20:03 8:03 PM

14 h behind Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

2,486,723

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 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 October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jeju Medellin 15,020 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Jeju
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

Jeju vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Jeju and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 110% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Jeju and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jeju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.