Cost of Living Comparison Between Kish and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kish and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Kish versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $813 in Kish versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,108 in Kish versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kish costs roughly 48% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kish 61% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.26 $4.26

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-27.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.99 $15.99

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-51.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.27 $3.27

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-55.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

Cappuccino

$1.15 $1.15

$1.65 COP 5,276

-30.30%

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

$0.42 $0.42

$1.10 COP 3,514

-61.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.78 COP 2,491

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 $0.54

$1.10 COP 3,521

-50.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 $0.56

$1.26 COP 4,015

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.38 COP 4,407

39.13%

Eggs

$1.18 $1.18

$2.18 COP 6,950

-45.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.49 COP 14.3K

-22.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-45.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$8.97 COP 28.6K

12.37%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 $0.85

$2.32 COP 7,405

-63.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.06 COP 3,397

28.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.52 COP 4,838

-42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.36 COP 4,327

-59.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.13 COP 3,599

-56.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$1.17 COP 3,738

-60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.90 COP 2,876

-34.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.90 COP 2,861

-72.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.59 $0.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.23 COP 7,128

1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.85 COP 2,723

-77.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.96 $9.96

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-76.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 $0.34

$1.42 COP 4,518

-76.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 $0.27

$1.95 COP 6,223

-86.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-74.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$0.99 COP 3,160

-25.25%

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

$73.9K $73.9K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

319.62%

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

$55.3K $55.3K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

106.30%

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

$15.80 $15.80

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-80.97%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-78.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.88 $5.88

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-75.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.10 $16.10

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-36.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.62 $12.62

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-33.93%

Cinema Ticket

$1.47 $1.47

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-62.78%

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

$118 $118

$316 COP 1.0M

-62.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,961 $1,961

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-67.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.38 $22.38

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-62.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.99 $24.99

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-21.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$102 COP 324.4K

6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 $70.1

$107 COP 342.8K

-34.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 $290

$475 COP 1.5M

-38.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 $198

$374 COP 1.2M

-47.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 $629

$849 COP 2.7M

-25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 $325

$719 COP 2.3M

-54.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,209 $1,209

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-62.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$619 $619

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-57.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 $423

$624 COP 2.0M

-32.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.24

13.43

65.60%

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

Last update for Kish: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $290 in Kish and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 48% 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: $16.00 in Kish vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $193 per month, with Kish cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kish vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kish and Medellin differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($518 vs $1,003 including rent). Kish is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $290 in Kish versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kish – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $518 in Kish versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kish but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kish the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Kish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.