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: $2,426 in London versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,539 in London versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,652 in London versus $2,188 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 80% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$25.84

$5.95 COP 20.8K

211.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 CA$105

$33.33 COP 116.3K

124.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 CA$14.25

$7.23 COP 25.2K

41.08%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.97

$1.63 COP 5,687

118.40%

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

$1.97 CA$2.75

$1.09 COP 3,821

80.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$0.73 COP 2,548

167.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.26

$1.74 COP 6,065

239.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CA$8.99

$3.23 COP 11.3K

99.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 CA$2.32

$1.05 COP 3,662

58.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$1.29 COP 4,515

79.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.66

$1.32 COP 4,617

153.03%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.57

$2.27 COP 7,927

44.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 CA$14.02

$4.35 COP 15.2K

130.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.20 CA$17.04

$5.88 COP 20.5K

107.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 CA$12.91

$8.61 COP 30.0K

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.36

$2.25 COP 7,844

102.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.07 COP 3,733

33.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.97

$1.52 COP 5,322

134.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.36

$1.42 COP 4,964

170.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 CA$2.27

$1.17 COP 4,084

38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$1.17 COP 4,077

73.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 CA$3.00

$0.89 COP 3,096

141.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$0.90 COP 3,146

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.39 CA$17.30

$2.25 COP 7,837

450.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 CA$17.78

$11.04 COP 38.5K

15.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CA$2.89

$1.14 COP 3,977

81.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$2.38 COP 8,301

3.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.43

$0.84 COP 2,916

191.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.5 CA$114

$41.95 COP 146.4K

94.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 CA$5.73

$1.41 COP 4,912

191.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.90 COP 6,634

-9.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 CA$43.74

$7.75 COP 27.0K

304.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.61

$1.01 COP 3,509

13.86%

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

$25.3K CA$35.3K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

43.93%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-21.95%

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

$145 CA$202

$83.7 COP 292.1K

72.87%

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

$47.41 CA$66.2

$9.45 COP 33.0K

401.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 CA$81.8

$24.11 COP 84.1K

142.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 CA$58.1

$25.31 COP 88.3K

64.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 CA$10.45

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-60.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.80 CA$15.08

$4.10 COP 14.3K

163.41%

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

$559 CA$780

$312 COP 1.1M

79.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K CA$19.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

135.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 CA$77.9

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-3.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.09 CA$64.4

$32.56 COP 113.6K

41.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 CA$119

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-14.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 CA$114

$109 COP 378.8K

-24.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$2,010

$482 COP 1.7M

198.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,827

$379 COP 1.3M

244.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 CA$3,673

$837 COP 2.9M

214.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,761

$723 COP 2.5M

173.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,512 CA$4,904

$2,840 COP 9.9M

23.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,605 CA$5,035

$1,223 COP 4.3M

194.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 CA$4,268

$541 COP 1.9M

465.11%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,439 in London and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 465% 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: $75.0 in London vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 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 465% 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: $1,439 in London versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,426 per month in London versus $1,017 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 94% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,426 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.