Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,471 in London versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in London versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,506 in London versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in London is roughly 139% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: London is 85% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 CA$25.46

$5.92 COP 21.4K

213.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$99.9

$32.75 COP 118.2K

122.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 CA$14.07

$7.20 COP 26.0K

42.64%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CA$4.91

$1.70 COP 6,140

110.59%

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

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.10 COP 3,966

72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$0.72 COP 2,605

158.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.13

$1.67 COP 6,022

255.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CA$9.30

$3.10 COP 11.2K

119.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.06 COP 3,809

59.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 CA$3.28

$1.25 COP 4,497

91.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.61

$1.39 COP 5,022

142.45%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.63

$2.26 COP 8,168

49.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 CA$13.44

$4.33 COP 15.6K

126.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.18 CA$16.69

$5.84 COP 21.1K

108.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.03 CA$12.38

$8.83 COP 31.9K

2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 CA$6.14

$2.24 COP 8,099

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.87

$1.08 COP 3,882

26.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$4.94

$1.53 COP 5,522

135.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.29

$1.37 COP 4,950

181.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.13 COP 4,078

49.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.81

$1.12 COP 4,036

83.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 CA$2.89

$0.85 COP 3,057

148.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$0.91 COP 3,281

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.47 CA$17.08

$2.33 COP 8,414

435.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 CA$18.20

$11.13 COP 40.2K

19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CA$2.95

$1.19 COP 4,309

80.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$2.37 COP 8,553

8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$0.79 COP 2,838

196.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.9 CA$112

$41.13 COP 148.5K

99.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 CA$5.61

$1.44 COP 5,184

184.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.40

$1.91 COP 6,901

-8.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.05 CA$42.54

$8.02 COP 28.9K

287.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.53

$0.94 COP 3,385

18.09%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

41.15%

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

$20.4K CA$27.9K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-23.91%

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

$143 CA$196

$84.0 COP 303.1K

70.44%

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

$46.69 CA$64.0

$9.60 COP 34.7K

386.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CA$80.0

$24.16 COP 87.2K

141.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 CA$57.9

$25.88 COP 93.4K

63.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.32 CA$10.03

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-61.55%

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 CA$15.10

$3.92 COP 14.1K

181.12%

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

$554 CA$759

$306 COP 1.1M

80.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K CA$19.5K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

140.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$75.7

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-4.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.60 CA$63.8

$31.82 COP 114.9K

46.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 CA$117

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-14.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 CA$111

$107 COP 386.8K

-24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 CA$1,997

$487 COP 1.8M

199.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,792

$368 COP 1.3M

255.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,574 CA$3,526

$826 COP 3.0M

211.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CA$2,739

$716 COP 2.6M

179.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,587 CA$4,915

$2,925 COP 10.6M

22.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,702 CA$5,071

$1,407 COP 5.1M

163.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,024 CA$4,142

$546 COP 2.0M

454.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

13.43

-53.76%

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

Last update for London: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,457 in London and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 454% 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: $73.0 in London vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $190 per month, with Medellin 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

London vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 454% 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: $1,457 in London versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,471 per month in London versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 99% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,471 in London, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, London 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 139% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.