Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolasin and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolasin and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,306 in Kolasin versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,942 in Kolasin versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,577 in Kolasin versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kolasin is roughly 27% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolasin 3% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.71 €4.87

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-3.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.36 €25.04

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-11.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 €8.20

$7.25 COP 25.9K

32.69%

Cappuccino

$1.49 €1.27

$1.71 COP 6,137

-12.87%

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

$1.87 €1.59

$1.09 COP 3,915

71.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.77 COP 2,743

54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 €2.50

$1.75 COP 6,254

67.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 €2.45

$3.18 COP 11.4K

-9.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.18

$1.06 COP 3,792

31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.30 COP 4,657

-13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 €1.57

$1.38 COP 4,926

33.33%

Eggs

$3.60 €3.07

$2.21 COP 7,908

62.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 €11.15

$4.52 COP 16.2K

189.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 €6.20

$5.80 COP 20.7K

25.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 €8.10

$8.97 COP 32.1K

5.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 €1.84

$2.29 COP 8,182

-5.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €1.98

$1.06 COP 3,791

119.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.58

$1.51 COP 5,411

23.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 €3.00

$1.36 COP 4,869

158.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.16 COP 4,146

56.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 €0.96

$1.17 COP 4,174

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.67

$0.83 COP 2,960

134.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.28

$0.85 COP 3,043

75.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 €3.35

$2.35 COP 8,423

67.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.62 €3.94

$11.09 COP 39.7K

-58.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.15 COP 4,133

37.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.82

$2.47 COP 8,853

-13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 €1.25

$0.79 COP 2,827

84.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.59 €32.06

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-10.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 €0.96

$1.44 COP 5,140

-21.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 €0.86

$1.90 COP 6,793

-46.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.64 €9.93

$7.70 COP 27.6K

51.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.50

$1.03 COP 3,680

70.87%

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

$29.8K €25.4K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

68.33%

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

$28.8K €24.6K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

6.72%

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

$91.1 €77.7

$81.4 COP 291.4K

11.89%

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

$17.55 €14.97

$9.42 COP 33.7K

86.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.55 €24.35

$23.77 COP 85.1K

20.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.49 €37.95

$25.86 COP 92.6K

72.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 €12.38

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-24.92%

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 €2.95

$4.05 COP 14.5K

-14.81%

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

$291 €248

$312 COP 1.1M

-6.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,359 €6,277

$6,067 COP 21.7M

21.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.71 €19.37

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-61.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 €32.50

$32.82 COP 117.5K

16.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €102

$100 COP 359.6K

19.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €109

$106 COP 380.3K

20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 €604

$490 COP 1.8M

44.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 €453

$371 COP 1.3M

43.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 €1,083

$838 COP 3.0M

51.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$916 €781

$715 COP 2.6M

28.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,818 €3,256

$2,952 COP 10.6M

29.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,584 €2,204

$1,394 COP 5.0M

85.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$921 €786

$532 COP 1.9M

73.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.43

-59.94%

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

Last update for Kolasin: April 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $708 in Kolasin and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolasin pays 73% 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: $29 in Kolasin vs $33 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 vs $190, with Medellin 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

Kolasin vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolasin and Medellin differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,306 vs $1,030 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kolasin pays 73% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $708 in Kolasin versus $490 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,306 per month in Kolasin versus $1,030 in Medellin – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 11% less than in Kolasin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $1,306 in Kolasin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kolasin. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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.

Safety-wise, Kolasin 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Kolasin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.