🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,372 in Katerini versus $1,641 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Katerini versus $2,447 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,828 in Katerini versus $3,253 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Katerini costs roughly 16% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Katerini is 1% below, Medellin is 19% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.78€13.60
$8.04COP 24.8K
96.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.5€50.4
$48.29COP 148.6K
21.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.02€7.78
$9.42COP 29.0K
-4.25%
Cappuccino
$4.07€3.51
$2.94COP 9,040
38.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85€1.60
$1.86COP 5,735
-0.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72€0.62
$1.46COP 4,479
-50.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.17€3.60
$3.21COP 9,882
29.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.32€5.45
$5.71COP 17.6K
10.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.42€1.22
$1.44COP 4,428
-1.39%
White Bread(500g)
$1.59€1.37
$2.40COP 7,389
-33.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.10€1.81
$1.70COP 5,228
23.53%
Eggs
$3.67€3.16
$2.89COP 8,896
26.99%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.03€9.51
$10.06COP 30.9K
9.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.55€8.23
$9.97COP 30.7K
-4.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.25€12.29
$14.20COP 43.7K
0.35%
Apples(1kg)
$1.89€1.63
$3.98COP 12.3K
-52.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.88€1.62
$1.58COP 4,878
18.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.46€1.26
$2.15COP 6,624
-32.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.89€1.63
$2.30COP 7,078
-17.83%
Potato(1kg)
$1.20€1.04
$2.00COP 6,169
-40.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.25€1.08
$1.51COP 4,646
-17.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35€1.17
$1.20COP 3,701
12.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50€0.43
$1.28COP 3,946
-60.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.05€4.35
$3.84COP 11.8K
31.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.48€6.45
$14.01COP 43.1K
-46.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15€0.99
$1.71COP 5,256
-32.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60€1.38
$2.74COP 8,440
-41.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.48€1.28
$1.25COP 3,834
18.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$58.1€50.0
$77.9COP 239.7K
-25.48%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.15€2.71
$1.31COP 4,016
140.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07€0.92
$2.17COP 6,680
-50.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.60€15.17
$8.29COP 25.5K
112.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.15€1.86
$1.36COP 4,172
58.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K€24.6K
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
3.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K€21.4K
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
-32.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$232€200
$169COP 519.2K
37.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.95€20.64
$13.57COP 41.8K
76.49%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.14€26.84
$28.32COP 87.2K
9.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.33€38.21
$45.71COP 140.7K
-3.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.16€22.55
$17.22COP 53.0K
51.92%
Cinema Ticket
$9.28€8.00
$6.65COP 20.5K
39.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$362€312
$803COP 2.5M
-54.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,702€4,053
$9,190COP 28.3M
-48.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.4€83.1
$87.4COP 268.8K
10.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.37€37.38
$59.4COP 182.7K
-26.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5€72.8
$139COP 427.5K
-39.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.4€64.1
$102COP 314.0K
-27.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$340€293
$1,071COP 3.3M
-68.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$300€258
$653COP 2.0M
-54.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$601€518
$1,925COP 5.9M
-68.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501€432
$1,048COP 3.2M
-52.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,597€1,376
$4,123COP 12.7M
-61.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,343€1,157
$1,697COP 5.2M
-20.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Katerini
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,170€1,009
$655COP 2.0M
78.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.52
10.94
-58.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Katerini: September 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in Katerini and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Katerini pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $59.0 in Katerini vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $300, with Katerini 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
Katerini vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Katerini and in Medellin?
Katerini and Medellin differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,372 vs $1,641 including rent). Katerini is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Katerini or Medellin?
Average pay runs 79% higher in Katerini, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Katerini and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $340 in Katerini versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Katerini and Medellin?
Childcare runs $362 in Katerini versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,372 in Katerini versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Katerini but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Katerini the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Katerini and Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Katerini or Medellin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Katerini 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.
Where should expats move: Katerini or Medellin?
Expats usually find Katerini gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.