Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston upon Thames and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston upon Thames and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,449 in Kingston upon Thames versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,925 in Kingston upon Thames versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,400 in Kingston upon Thames versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Kingston upon Thames is roughly 101% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston upon Thames 151% above, Medellin 25% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.44 £16.64
$8.03 COP 25.3K
179.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.1 £64.6
$48.26 COP 152.0K
80.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.01 £8.17
$9.77 COP 30.8K
12.69%
Cappuccino
$5.61 £4.16
$2.91 COP 9,167
92.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 £2.27
$1.94 COP 6,122
57.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 £1.35
$1.52 COP 4,792
19.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.62 £7.13
$3.09 COP 9,740
211.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.86 £6.57
$5.74 COP 18.1K
54.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 £1.30
$1.36 COP 4,296
28.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 £1.28
$2.39 COP 7,519
-27.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 £1.80
$1.70 COP 5,356
42.35%
Eggs
$5.06 £3.76
$2.87 COP 9,038
76.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.85 £6.56
$9.94 COP 31.3K
-10.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.77 £6.50
$10.78 COP 34.0K
-18.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.23 £9.81
$14.73 COP 46.4K
-10.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.35 £2.49
$4.09 COP 12.9K
-18.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 £1.06
$1.57 COP 4,950
-9.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.57 £1.91
$2.13 COP 6,695
20.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.82 £2.09
$2.21 COP 6,972
27.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 £1.26
$2.05 COP 6,447
-17.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.84 £1.36
$1.50 COP 4,737
22.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 £0.95
$1.19 COP 3,747
7.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 £1.34
$1.16 COP 3,647
56.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.17 £17.93
$3.90 COP 12.3K
519.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.51 £7.06
$14.44 COP 45.5K
-34.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.21 £2.38
$1.58 COP 4,987
103.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 £3.36
$2.83 COP 8,905
60.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 £1.72
$1.17 COP 3,679
98.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.12 £32.72
$77.7 COP 244.8K
-43.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 £3.65
$1.28 COP 4,045
283.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 £1.08
$2.09 COP 6,589
-30.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.58 £18.23
$8.62 COP 27.1K
185.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.98 £1.47
$1.30 COP 4,088
52.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.8K £29.5K
$27.7K COP 87.1M
43.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.8K £31.0K
$35.5K COP 111.8M
17.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$365 £271
$176 COP 554.5K
107.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.96 £11.84
$13.37 COP 42.1K
19.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.50 £31.53
$29.89 COP 94.1K
42.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$104 £77.4
$44.76 COP 141.0K
133.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.93 £8.11
$17.06 COP 53.7K
-35.93%
Cinema Ticket
$20.72 £15.37
$6.20 COP 19.5K
234.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,729 £2,024
$793 COP 2.5M
243.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.6K £16.8K
$9,019 COP 28.4M
150.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116 £85.7
$85.6 COP 269.6K
35.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.1 £40.12
$58.5 COP 184.1K
-7.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 £59.4
$136 COP 429.3K
-41.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 £79.4
$103 COP 324.7K
3.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,066 £1,532
$1,060 COP 3.3M
94.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,879 £1,394
$680 COP 2.1M
176.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,730 £2,766
$2,012 COP 6.3M
85.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,235 £2,399
$1,169 COP 3.7M
176.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,111 COP 12.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,701 COP 5.4M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,416 £4,017
$665 COP 2.1M
714.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.84
10.94
-55.76%

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

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,066 in Kingston upon Thames and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston upon Thames pays 714% 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: $87.0 in Kingston upon Thames vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $303 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
Kingston upon Thames vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Kingston upon Thames and in Medellin?
Kingston upon Thames and Medellin differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($3,449 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Kingston upon Thames or Medellin?
Average pay runs 714% higher in Kingston upon Thames, 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 Kingston upon Thames and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,066 in Kingston upon Thames versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Kingston upon Thames and in Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 76% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kingston upon Thames and Medellin?
Childcare runs $2,729 in Kingston upon Thames versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,716 in Medellin versus $3,449 in Kingston upon Thames, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kingston upon Thames. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Kingston upon Thames 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 Kingston upon Thames or Medellin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Kingston upon Thames 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: Kingston upon Thames or Medellin?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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