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: $1,249 in Kolasin versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Kolasin versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,591 in Kolasin versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Kolasin costs roughly 24% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kolasin is 9% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.76 €4.97

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-28.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.94 €24.95

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-40.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 €7.89

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-2.87%

Cappuccino

$1.49 €1.28

$2.94 COP 9,040

-49.32%

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

$1.83 €1.58

$1.86 COP 5,735

-1.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.46 COP 4,479

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.21 COP 9,882

-11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.46

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-50.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.44 COP 4,428

-17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 €0.86

$2.40 COP 7,389

-58.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.51

$1.70 COP 5,228

71.76%

Eggs

$3.14 €2.71

$2.89 COP 8,896

8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 €7.91

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-8.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 €6.56

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-23.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 €11.26

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-7.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-66.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.58 COP 4,878

3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$2.15 COP 6,624

-21.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 €2.68

$2.30 COP 7,078

35.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 €0.78

$2.00 COP 6,169

-55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.51 COP 4,646

-11.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.20 COP 3,701

30.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.28 COP 3,946

-22.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 €3.42

$3.84 COP 11.8K

3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.67 €4.03

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.71 COP 5,256

-21.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.74 COP 8,440

-33.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.25 COP 3,834

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.34

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-47.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.31 COP 4,016

-12.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.02

$2.17 COP 6,680

-45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.53 €15.11

$8.29 COP 25.5K

111.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.36 COP 4,172

31.62%

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

21.54%

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

$21.9K €18.9K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-39.97%

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

$91.7 €79.0

$169 COP 519.2K

-45.67%

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

$13.68 €11.79

$13.57 COP 41.8K

0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.49 €25.42

$28.32 COP 87.2K

4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.00 €39.65

$45.71 COP 140.7K

0.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.16 €13.07

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-11.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 €6.88

$6.65 COP 20.5K

20.00%

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

$457 €394

$803 COP 2.5M

-43.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,337 €6,325

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-20.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 €76.1

$87.4 COP 268.8K

1.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.82 €30.01

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-41.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 €65.5

$139 COP 427.5K

-45.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 €86.3

$102 COP 314.0K

-1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 €581

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 €414

$653 COP 2.0M

-26.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 €1,140

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-31.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 €822

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-8.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,563 €3,071

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-13.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,380 €2,052

$1,697 COP 5.2M

40.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$890 €767

$655 COP 2.0M

35.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-36.01%

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

Last update for Kolasin: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Kolasin and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolasin pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Kolasin vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $300 per month, with Kolasin 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

Kolasin vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolasin and Medellin differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,249 vs $1,641 including rent). Kolasin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Kolasin, 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: $673 in Kolasin versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,249 per month in Kolasin versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolasin runs roughly 90% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,249 in Kolasin versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kolasin but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kolasin 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 Kolasin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.