Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon, FL and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon, FL and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,739 in Marathon, FL versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,967 in Marathon, FL versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,195 in Marathon, FL versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Marathon, FL is roughly 165% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Marathon, FL is 105% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$5.92 COP 21.1K

241.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$32.75 COP 116.6K

127.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$7.20 COP 25.6K

41.11%

Cappuccino

$6.09 $6.09

$1.70 COP 6,054

258.24%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$1.10 COP 3,910

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.72 COP 2,569

165.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$1.67 COP 5,937

270.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.64 $9.64

$3.10 COP 11.0K

210.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.06 COP 3,755

0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.25 COP 4,434

132.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$1.39 COP 4,951

276.98%

Eggs

$4.56 $4.56

$2.26 COP 8,053

101.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.08 $21.08

$4.33 COP 15.4K

386.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.05 $14.05

$5.84 COP 20.8K

140.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 $15.72

$8.83 COP 31.4K

78.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.24 COP 7,985

112.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.08 COP 3,827

61.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$1.53 COP 5,444

275.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$1.37 COP 4,880

307.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.13 COP 4,021

227.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.12 COP 3,980

241.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.85 COP 3,014

142.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.91 COP 3,235

123.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 $8.61

$2.33 COP 8,295

269.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 $13.05

$11.13 COP 39.6K

17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.19 COP 4,249

47.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.37 COP 8,433

-17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.79 COP 2,798

145.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.44 COP 5,111

70.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.91 COP 6,803

-16.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.13 $29.13

$8.02 COP 28.5K

263.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.94 COP 3,337

-10.64%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$17.9K COP 63.8M

102.44%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.8K COP 95.4M

3.25%

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

$255 $255

$84.0 COP 298.8K

203.38%

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

$46.90 $46.90

$9.60 COP 34.2K

388.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 $60.4

$24.16 COP 86.0K

149.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.03 $43.03

$25.88 COP 92.1K

66.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 67.8K

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$3.92 COP 13.9K

276.02%

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

$1,103 $1,103

$306 COP 1.1M

260.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$5,919 COP 21.1M

293.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 $53.4

$57.9 COP 206.1K

-7.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.59 $33.59

$31.82 COP 113.3K

5.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 $92.4

$99.9 COP 355.6K

-7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$107 COP 381.3K

10.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 $1,574

$487 COP 1.7M

223.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 $1,345

$368 COP 1.3M

265.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 $2,600

$826 COP 2.9M

214.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$716 COP 2.5M

207.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,641 $2,641

$2,925 COP 10.4M

-9.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,102 $2,102

$1,407 COP 5.0M

49.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

13.43

-51.38%

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

Last update for Marathon, FL: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,574 in Marathon, FL and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in Marathon, FL vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 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

Marathon, FL vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marathon, FL and Medellin differ by about 165% in total monthly costs ($2,739 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,109 in Marathon, FL and $1,550 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,574 in Marathon, FL versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in Marathon, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,739 per month in Marathon, FL versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 165% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,739 in Marathon, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Marathon, FL. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Marathon, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.