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: $2,678 in Marathon, FL versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,945 in Marathon, FL versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,212 in Marathon, FL versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Marathon, FL is roughly 163% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Marathon, FL is 99% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.93 $19.93

$5.95 COP 20.6K

234.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 $75.9

$33.33 COP 115.1K

127.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$7.23 COP 25.0K

39.97%

Cappuccino

$6.17 $6.17

$1.63 COP 5,629

278.53%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$1.09 COP 3,782

156.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.73 COP 2,522

167.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$1.74 COP 6,003

248.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.65 $9.65

$3.23 COP 11.2K

198.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.05 COP 3,625

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.29 COP 4,469

121.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$1.32 COP 4,570

295.45%

Eggs

$4.73 $4.73

$2.27 COP 7,846

108.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.19 $21.19

$4.35 COP 15.0K

387.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.19 $14.19

$5.88 COP 20.3K

141.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$8.61 COP 29.7K

79.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.25 COP 7,763

102.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.07 COP 3,695

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$1.52 COP 5,267

268.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$1.42 COP 4,914

302.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.17 COP 4,042

219.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.17 COP 4,035

220.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.89 COP 3,064

122.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.90 COP 3,114

118.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.40 $8.40

$2.25 COP 7,757

273.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 $12.82

$11.04 COP 38.1K

16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.14 COP 3,936

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.38 COP 8,216

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.84 COP 2,886

135.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 144.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.41 COP 4,861

73.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.90 COP 6,567

-14.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.62 $29.62

$7.75 COP 26.8K

282.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.01 COP 3,473

-15.84%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$17.6K COP 60.7M

102.88%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$26.5K COP 91.5M

5.60%

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

$259 $259

$83.7 COP 289.1K

208.95%

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

$46.76 $46.76

$9.45 COP 32.6K

394.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 $60.8

$24.11 COP 83.3K

151.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 $42.74

$25.31 COP 87.4K

68.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.1K

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$4.10 COP 14.2K

266.59%

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

$1,120 $1,120

$312 COP 1.1M

258.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$5,993 COP 20.7M

296.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$58.0 COP 200.5K

-8.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 $34.39

$32.56 COP 112.5K

5.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 $92.9

$99.6 COP 344.1K

-6.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$109 COP 375.0K

7.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$482 COP 1.7M

227.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 $1,380

$379 COP 1.3M

263.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$837 COP 2.9M

211.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$723 COP 2.5M

205.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,041 $3,041

$2,840 COP 9.8M

7.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,154 $2,154

$1,223 COP 4.2M

76.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,581 in Marathon, FL and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Marathon, FL vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 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 163% in total monthly costs ($2,678 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,017 in Marathon, FL and $1,525 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: $1,581 in Marathon, FL versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 128% higher in Marathon, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,678 per month in Marathon, FL versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,678 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 163% less than in Marathon, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.