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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,466 per month in Marathon vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,508 per month in Marathon vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,549 per month in Marathon vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Marathon costs about 143% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marathon sits 83% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 CA$25.68

$6.14 COP 22.2K

205.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 CA$81.9

$33.05 COP 119.3K

80.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 CA$17.26

$7.32 COP 26.4K

72.13%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$1.66 COP 5,987

121.69%

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

$1.79 CA$2.46

$1.10 COP 3,987

62.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.02

$0.78 COP 2,822

89.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.13

$1.71 COP 6,188

204.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 CA$6.92

$3.17 COP 11.5K

59.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.36

$1.11 COP 4,012

120.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 CA$3.46

$1.31 COP 4,719

93.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$1.38 COP 4,980

89.13%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.03

$2.22 COP 8,009

32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 CA$12.04

$4.34 COP 15.7K

102.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.88 CA$23.12

$5.80 COP 20.9K

191.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$21.95

$8.98 COP 32.4K

78.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CA$4.93

$2.26 COP 8,164

59.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.49

$1.11 COP 4,023

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.57

$1.46 COP 5,284

128.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$1.37 COP 4,929

130.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.69

$1.11 COP 4,009

143.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 CA$1.35

$1.16 COP 4,199

-14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 CA$3.99

$0.89 COP 3,211

228.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$0.87 COP 3,124

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$2.35 COP 8,495

295.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.05

$10.86 COP 39.2K

21.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.17

$1.20 COP 4,330

31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.48 COP 8,946

10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$0.79 COP 2,842

196.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 CA$84.4

$40.77 COP 147.2K

51.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$1.42 COP 5,137

129.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$1.91 COP 6,900

-21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.99 CA$35.61

$7.65 COP 27.6K

239.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$0.97 COP 3,490

15.46%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

38.87%

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

$20.2K CA$27.7K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-23.19%

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

$206 CA$282

$81.3 COP 293.5K

152.92%

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

$44.11 CA$60.4

$9.63 COP 34.8K

358.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 CA$111

$24.36 COP 88.0K

232.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 CA$57.6

$26.02 COP 93.9K

61.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.73 CA$14.70

$3.89 COP 14.0K

175.84%

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

$737 CA$1,009

$304 COP 1.1M

142.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.3K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

101.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 CA$81.7

$58.7 COP 211.8K

1.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.03 CA$50.7

$32.48 COP 117.2K

14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 CA$106

$102 COP 367.3K

-23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 CA$191

$108 COP 390.4K

28.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,799

$474 COP 1.7M

176.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 CA$1,603

$371 COP 1.3M

215.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CA$2,748

$848 COP 3.1M

136.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 CA$2,500

$716 COP 2.6M

154.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,406 CA$6,036

$2,871 COP 10.4M

53.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,723 CA$5,100

$1,375 COP 5.0M

170.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,842 CA$2,523

$542 COP 2.0M

240.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

13.43

-53.91%

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

Last update for Marathon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,313 in Marathon versus $474 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 240% higher in Marathon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Marathon versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marathon is pricier by about 143%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,700 per month in Marathon and $1,522 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $737 per month in Marathon and $304 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Marathon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Marathon at $2,466. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marathon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marathon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.