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: $1,311 in Kolasin versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,972 in Kolasin versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Kolasin versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kolasin is roughly 29% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolasin 2% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 €5.02

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-2.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.24 €25.19

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-12.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 €8.25

$7.23 COP 25.2K

32.37%

Cappuccino

$1.48 €1.28

$1.63 COP 5,687

-9.20%

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

$1.89 €1.63

$1.09 COP 3,821

73.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$0.73 COP 2,548

54.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 €2.42

$1.74 COP 6,065

60.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 €2.44

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-12.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.05 COP 3,662

29.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.29 COP 4,515

-16.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.32 COP 4,617

39.39%

Eggs

$3.43 €2.96

$2.27 COP 7,927

51.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 €11.69

$4.35 COP 15.2K

211.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 €6.56

$5.88 COP 20.5K

29.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 €8.14

$8.61 COP 30.0K

9.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.25 COP 7,844

-1.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.07 COP 3,733

111.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.68

$1.52 COP 5,322

27.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.42 COP 4,964

152.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.17 COP 4,084

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.17 COP 4,077

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.62

$0.89 COP 3,096

111.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$0.90 COP 3,146

75.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 €3.45

$2.25 COP 7,837

78.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.70 €4.05

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-57.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.14 COP 3,977

43.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.38 COP 8,301

-10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.84 COP 2,916

77.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.97 €31.85

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-11.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.41 COP 4,912

-19.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.90 COP 6,634

-43.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.54 €9.94

$7.75 COP 27.0K

48.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.01 COP 3,509

75.25%

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

$30.0K €25.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

70.81%

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

$29.2K €25.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

10.34%

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

$92.6 €79.8

$83.7 COP 292.1K

10.71%

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

$17.21 €14.82

$9.45 COP 33.0K

82.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.13 €25.09

$24.11 COP 84.1K

20.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.48 €37.46

$25.31 COP 88.3K

71.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 €12.45

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-24.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 €3.04

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-13.90%

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

$291 €250

$312 COP 1.1M

-6.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,492 €6,455

$5,993 COP 20.9M

25.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.37 €20.14

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-59.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 €32.83

$32.56 COP 113.6K

17.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 €103

$99.6 COP 347.7K

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

$109 COP 378.8K

18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 €620

$482 COP 1.7M

49.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 €461

$379 COP 1.3M

40.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 €1,111

$837 COP 2.9M

53.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 €802

$723 COP 2.5M

28.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,726 €3,210

$2,840 COP 9.9M

31.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,545 €2,193

$1,223 COP 4.3M

108.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 €781

$541 COP 1.9M

67.68%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Kolasin and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolasin pays 68% 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 $259 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,311 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kolasin pays 68% 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: $720 in Kolasin versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,311 per month in Kolasin versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 13% less than in Kolasin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,311 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 29% less than in Kolasin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.