Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston upon Thames and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kingston upon Thames
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,276
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames versus $1,614 in Medellin.

  • Kingston upon Thames $3,276
  • Medellin $1,614

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,746 in Kingston upon Thames versus $2,402 in Medellin.

  • Kingston upon Thames $4,746
  • Medellin $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,216 in Kingston upon Thames versus $3,190 in Medellin.

  • Kingston upon Thames $6,216
  • Medellin $3,190

Living in Kingston upon Thames is roughly 103% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston upon Thames 143% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.10 £16.58
$7.93 COP 25.2K
178.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.6 £65.0
$46.13 COP 146.3K
87.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.42 £7.82
$9.50 COP 30.1K
9.68%
Cappuccino
$5.46 £4.09
$3.11 COP 9,866
75.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 £2.25
$1.83 COP 5,800
63.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 £1.35
$1.38 COP 4,360
30.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.20 £6.91
$3.05 COP 9,672
201.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 £5.93
$5.50 COP 17.4K
43.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.26
$1.45 COP 4,600
15.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 £1.30
$2.36 COP 7,496
-26.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.45 £1.84
$1.68 COP 5,328
45.83%
Eggs
$4.91 £3.68
$2.86 COP 9,077
71.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.46 £6.35
$10.19 COP 32.3K
-16.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.72 £6.54
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-8.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.99 £9.74
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-7.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.13 £2.35
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-23.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.35 £1.01
$1.50 COP 4,742
-10.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.61 £1.96
$2.17 COP 6,891
20.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.90 £2.18
$2.31 COP 7,310
25.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 £1.25
$1.93 COP 6,113
-13.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 £1.28
$1.64 COP 5,196
4.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 £0.93
$1.13 COP 3,571
9.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 £1.35
$1.25 COP 3,954
44.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.28 £17.46
$3.99 COP 12.6K
483.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.31 £6.99
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-30.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.09 £2.32
$1.70 COP 5,384
81.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 £3.34
$2.37 COP 7,525
87.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.37 £1.78
$1.21 COP 3,827
95.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.49 £31.88
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-44.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 £3.69
$1.32 COP 4,179
271.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 £1.07
$2.14 COP 6,774
-33.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.70 £17.78
$8.47 COP 26.8K
179.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.98 £1.49
$1.30 COP 4,114
52.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.7K £28.3K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
34.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8K £29.9K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
12.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$371 £278
$172 COP 545.6K
115.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.63 £11.73
$13.37 COP 42.4K
16.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.78 £30.60
$28.73 COP 91.1K
41.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$102 £76.8
$45.24 COP 143.5K
126.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.49 £7.87
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-38.44%
Cinema Ticket
$19.46 £14.60
$6.28 COP 19.9K
209.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,594 £1,946
$770 COP 2.4M
236.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.2K £16.6K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
145.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 £85.7
$86.4 COP 274.0K
32.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.6 £40.19
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-6.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.1 £58.6
$137 COP 432.9K
-42.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 £79.7
$97.9 COP 310.4K
8.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,035 £1,527
$1,055 COP 3.3M
92.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,832 £1,374
$616 COP 2.0M
197.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,567 £2,676
$1,892 COP 6.0M
88.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,164 £2,374
$1,023 COP 3.2M
209.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kingston upon Thames
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,303 £3,978
$652 COP 2.1M
712.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.74
10.94
-56.67%

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

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: October 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kingston upon Thames
$1.8K
Medellin
$616 66.4% $1.2K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kingston upon Thames
$427
Medellin
$214 49.8% $213
Eating Out
Kingston upon Thames
$355
Medellin
$168 52.5% $186
Groceries & Markets
Kingston upon Thames
$298
Medellin
$295 1.2% $3.5
Clothing & Footwear
Kingston upon Thames
$158
Medellin
$170 7.3% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Kingston upon Thames
$141
Medellin
$58 59.1% $84
Getting Around
Kingston upon Thames
$64
Medellin
$93 45.7% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,035 in Kingston upon Thames and $1,055 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston upon Thames pays 713% 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 $46.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $295 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Kingston upon Thames
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
18:55 6:55 PM
12:55 12:55 PM
6 h behind Kingston upon Thames
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
43,013
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kingston upon Thames Medellin 8,450 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kingston upon Thames
  • 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
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 103% in total monthly costs ($3,276 vs $1,614 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 713% 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: $2,035 in Kingston upon Thames versus $1,055 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 80% 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 $2,594 in Kingston upon Thames versus $770 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 $1,614 in Medellin versus $3,276 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 103% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Kingston upon Thames vs other spots: cost of living compared

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