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: $2,415 in London versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,436 in London versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,458 in London versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in London is roughly 43% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 76% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.74 CA$29.96

$7.89 COP 24.2K

175.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 CA$89.2

$44.53 COP 136.5K

45.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.49 CA$17.21

$9.29 COP 28.5K

34.45%

Cappuccino

$3.65 CA$5.03

$2.90 COP 8,874

25.86%

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

$2.11 CA$2.91

$1.81 COP 5,541

16.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 CA$3.01

$1.55 COP 4,741

40.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.29 CA$8.66

$3.25 COP 9,962

93.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 CA$8.41

$5.88 COP 18.0K

3.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 CA$2.43

$1.38 COP 4,230

27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CA$3.41

$2.45 COP 7,517

1.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.25

$1.51 COP 4,617

152.32%

Eggs

$3.73 CA$5.13

$2.78 COP 8,516

34.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 CA$15.80

$9.05 COP 27.7K

26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.99 CA$17.90

$10.65 COP 32.6K

21.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.04 CA$20.72

$14.63 COP 44.8K

2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.93

$3.97 COP 12.2K

8.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CA$1.70

$1.38 COP 4,219

-10.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.08

$2.30 COP 7,056

60.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.06

$2.02 COP 6,185

117.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.21

$2.09 COP 6,390

45.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.93

$1.63 COP 4,996

74.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CA$3.51

$1.08 COP 3,313

136.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$1.25 COP 3,843

19.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.19 CA$16.80

$4.03 COP 12.4K

202.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.40

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-6.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.40

$1.60 COP 4,904

54.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$3.94

$3.00 COP 9,189

-4.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.19

$1.18 COP 3,611

96.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.4 CA$109

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-0.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 CA$3.52

$1.61 COP 4,920

59.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 CA$2.29

$2.13 COP 6,533

-22.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.04 CA$31.74

$8.52 COP 26.1K

170.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.60

$1.35 COP 4,142

-14.07%

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

$29.0K CA$40.0K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

2.46%

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

$24.1K CA$33.2K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-32.58%

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

$138 CA$190

$151 COP 463.8K

-9.12%

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

$43.50 CA$59.9

$13.10 COP 40.1K

232.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CA$79.5

$32.30 COP 99.0K

78.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.98 CA$53.7

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-15.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.53 CA$40.69

$17.26 COP 52.9K

71.09%

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 CA$14.94

$6.43 COP 19.7K

68.58%

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

$417 CA$575

$835 COP 2.6M

-50.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K CA$28.1K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

129.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 CA$74.6

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-39.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 CA$55.2

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-27.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 CA$115

$137 COP 418.5K

-39.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 CA$129

$109 COP 335.1K

-14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 CA$1,753

$952 COP 2.9M

33.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 CA$1,611

$668 COP 2.0M

75.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 CA$2,916

$2,020 COP 6.2M

4.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CA$2,354

$1,148 COP 3.5M

48.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,499 CA$4,821

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-5.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,686 CA$5,079

$1,586 COP 4.9M

132.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,935 CA$4,043

$625 COP 1.9M

369.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.73

10.43

-54.65%

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

Last update for London: August 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,273 in London and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 369% 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: $65.0 in London vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $297 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 369% higher in London, 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: $1,273 in London versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,415 per month in London versus $1,687 in Medellin – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 1% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $2,415 in London, a $2,500 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 43% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.