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: $1,310 in Kolasin versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Kolasin versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,546 in Kolasin versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kolasin is roughly 31% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolasin 2% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.83 €5.08

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.37 €25.61

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-10.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 €8.54

$7.43 COP 23.7K

31.90%

Cappuccino

$1.52 €1.32

$1.65 COP 5,276

-7.88%

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

$1.83 €1.59

$1.10 COP 3,514

66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.03

$0.78 COP 2,491

51.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 €2.50

$1.72 COP 5,484

66.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.53

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-8.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.25

$1.10 COP 3,521

30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.26 COP 4,015

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.38 COP 4,407

27.54%

Eggs

$3.42 €2.98

$2.18 COP 6,950

56.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 €11.48

$4.49 COP 14.3K

193.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 €6.47

$5.79 COP 18.5K

28.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 €8.50

$8.97 COP 28.6K

8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.32 COP 7,405

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.06 COP 3,397

123.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.70

$1.52 COP 4,838

28.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 €3.11

$1.36 COP 4,327

161.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.13 COP 3,599

64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 €1.00

$1.17 COP 3,738

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.68

$0.90 COP 2,876

114.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.37

$0.90 COP 2,861

74.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 €3.56

$2.23 COP 7,128

82.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.41 €3.85

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-63.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.19 COP 3,793

33.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.48 COP 7,920

-14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 €1.29

$0.85 COP 2,723

74.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.91 €33.05

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-8.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.42 COP 4,518

-19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.93

$1.95 COP 6,223

-45.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.66 €10.16

$7.89 COP 25.2K

47.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.54

$0.99 COP 3,160

78.79%

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

$30.0K €26.2K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

70.59%

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

$29.1K €25.3K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

8.50%

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

$91.3 €79.6

$83.0 COP 264.9K

9.97%

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

$17.19 €14.99

$9.70 COP 30.9K

77.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.19 €25.45

$23.52 COP 75.0K

24.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.93 €39.17

$25.26 COP 80.6K

77.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 €12.40

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-25.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 €3.10

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-10.13%

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

$285 €249

$316 COP 1.0M

-9.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,401 €6,452

$5,975 COP 19.1M

23.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.04 €20.09

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-61.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.01 €33.14

$31.82 COP 101.5K

19.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €102

$102 COP 324.4K

15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €112

$107 COP 342.8K

20.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 €619

$475 COP 1.5M

49.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 €479

$374 COP 1.2M

46.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 €1,109

$849 COP 2.7M

49.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$924 €805

$719 COP 2.3M

28.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,677 €3,205

$3,265 COP 10.4M

12.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,506 €2,185

$1,441 COP 4.6M

73.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$895 €781

$624 COP 2.0M

43.39%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Kolasin and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolasin pays 43% 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: $29.00 in Kolasin vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $193, 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,310 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $710 in Kolasin versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,310 per month in Kolasin versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 10% less than in Kolasin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,310 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 31% less than in Kolasin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.