Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Leeds and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,248 in Leeds, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Leeds
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,248
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Leeds and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Leeds and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,248 in Leeds versus $1,614 in Medellin.

  • Leeds $2,248
  • Medellin $1,614

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,372 in Leeds versus $2,402 in Medellin.

  • Leeds $3,372
  • Medellin $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,497 in Leeds versus $3,190 in Medellin.

  • Leeds $4,497
  • Medellin $3,190

Living in Leeds is roughly 39% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leeds 66% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.65 £15.49
$7.93 COP 25.2K
160.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.2 £58.0
$46.13 COP 146.3K
67.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.36 £7.02
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-1.47%
Cappuccino
$5.09 £3.82
$3.11 COP 9,866
63.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 £2.76
$1.83 COP 5,800
101.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 £1.99
$1.38 COP 4,360
92.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.43 £5.58
$3.05 COP 9,672
143.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.14 £6.10
$5.50 COP 17.4K
48.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.60 £1.20
$1.45 COP 4,600
10.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 £1.09
$2.36 COP 7,496
-38.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 £2.10
$1.68 COP 5,328
66.67%
Eggs
$4.22 £3.17
$2.86 COP 9,077
47.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 £8.23
$10.19 COP 32.3K
7.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.74 £6.56
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-8.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.50 £11.63
$14.04 COP 44.5K
10.40%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 £2.28
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-25.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 £1.43
$1.50 COP 4,742
27.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.71 £2.03
$2.17 COP 6,891
24.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.48 £2.61
$2.31 COP 7,310
50.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 £1.25
$1.93 COP 6,113
-13.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.72 £1.29
$1.64 COP 5,196
4.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 £1.02
$1.13 COP 3,571
20.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 £1.19
$1.25 COP 3,954
27.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.09 £15.07
$3.99 COP 12.6K
403.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.40 £7.80
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-22.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.88 £2.16
$1.70 COP 5,384
69.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 £2.30
$2.37 COP 7,525
29.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.32 £2.49
$1.21 COP 3,827
174.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$122 £91.5
$76.5 COP 242.5K
59.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 £2.40
$1.32 COP 4,179
141.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 £1.50
$2.14 COP 6,774
-6.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.71 £13.29
$8.47 COP 26.8K
109.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 £1.54
$1.30 COP 4,114
57.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.6K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
36.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K £30.1K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
13.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 £186
$172 COP 545.6K
43.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.82 £12.62
$13.37 COP 42.4K
25.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.74 £30.56
$28.73 COP 91.1K
41.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.53 £31.16
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-8.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.58 £17.69
$17.04 COP 54.0K
38.38%
Cinema Ticket
$13.44 £10.09
$6.28 COP 19.9K
114.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,847 £1,386
$770 COP 2.4M
139.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.8K £16.4K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
142.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.0 £66.8
$86.4 COP 274.0K
3.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.94 £35.22
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-17.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.3 £67.0
$137 COP 432.9K
-34.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.4 £64.1
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-12.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 £911
$1,055 COP 3.3M
15.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$942 £706
$616 COP 2.0M
52.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,317 £1,738
$1,892 COP 6.0M
22.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,627 £1,221
$1,023 COP 3.2M
59.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,729 £2,798
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-8.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,540 £2,656
$1,678 COP 5.3M
110.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Leeds
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,316 £2,488
$652 COP 2.1M
408.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.99
10.94
-54.39%

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

Last update for Leeds: October 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Leeds
$942
Medellin
$616 34.6% $326
Eating Out
Leeds
$333
Medellin
$168 49.5% $165
Groceries & Markets
Leeds
$311
Medellin
$295 5.2% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leeds
$305
Medellin
$214 29.8% $91
Getting Around
Leeds
$148
Medellin
$93 37.1% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Leeds
$140
Medellin
$170 21.7% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Leeds
$68
Medellin
$58 15.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,215 in Leeds and $1,055 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leeds pays 408% 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: $77.0 in Leeds vs $46.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $295 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Leeds
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
20:24 8:24 PM
14:24 2:24 PM
6 h behind Leeds
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
766,399
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Leeds Medellin 8,400 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Leeds
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Leeds vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Leeds or Medellin?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Leeds. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Leeds or in Medellin?
Average pay runs 408% higher in Leeds, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Leeds compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,215 in Leeds versus $1,055 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Leeds compared to Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $2,248 per month in Leeds versus $1,614 in Medellin – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Leeds compared to Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 59% less than in Leeds. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Leeds or in Medellin?
At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,248 in Leeds, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Leeds. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Leeds or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,614 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Leeds. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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