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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,404 per month in Marathon vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,402 per month in Marathon vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,401 per month in Marathon vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Marathon costs about 136% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Marathon sits 79% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$25.86

$5.95 COP 20.8K

211.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 CA$83.7

$33.33 COP 116.3K

79.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 CA$17.37

$7.23 COP 25.2K

72.06%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.30

$1.63 COP 5,687

132.52%

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

$1.88 CA$2.63

$1.09 COP 3,821

72.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$0.73 COP 2,548

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 CA$7.54

$1.74 COP 6,065

210.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CA$7.08

$3.23 COP 11.3K

56.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$1.05 COP 3,662

133.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$1.29 COP 4,515

95.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.56

$1.32 COP 4,617

93.18%

Eggs

$2.87 CA$4.01

$2.27 COP 7,927

26.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 CA$12.25

$4.35 COP 15.2K

101.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 CA$23.08

$5.88 COP 20.5K

181.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 CA$22.42

$8.61 COP 30.0K

86.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.78

$2.25 COP 7,844

52.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.07 COP 3,733

7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.60

$1.52 COP 5,322

117.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.42

$1.42 COP 4,964

122.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$1.17 COP 4,084

121.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 CA$1.36

$1.17 COP 4,077

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 CA$4.21

$0.89 COP 3,096

239.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$0.90 COP 3,146

25.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.06 CA$12.66

$2.25 COP 7,837

302.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 CA$17.58

$11.04 COP 38.5K

14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.32

$1.14 COP 3,977

45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.86

$2.38 COP 8,301

15.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.24

$0.84 COP 2,916

176.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$88.2

$41.95 COP 146.4K

50.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 CA$4.59

$1.41 COP 4,912

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.90 COP 6,634

-24.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.59 CA$35.74

$7.75 COP 27.0K

230.19%

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)

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

40.78%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-22.47%

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

$200 CA$279

$83.7 COP 292.1K

138.43%

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

$43.96 CA$61.4

$9.45 COP 33.0K

365.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.7 CA$114

$24.11 COP 84.1K

238.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.72 CA$59.7

$25.31 COP 88.3K

68.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 CA$15.13

$4.10 COP 14.3K

164.39%

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

$734 CA$1,025

$312 COP 1.1M

135.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

96.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.4

$58.0 COP 202.6K

1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.75 CA$51.3

$32.56 COP 113.6K

12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 CA$108

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 CA$197

$109 COP 378.8K

29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,800

$482 COP 1.7M

167.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CA$1,625

$379 COP 1.3M

206.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 CA$2,781

$837 COP 2.9M

137.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 CA$2,539

$723 COP 2.5M

151.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,374 CA$6,108

$2,840 COP 9.9M

54.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 CA$5,447

$1,223 COP 4.3M

218.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,824 CA$2,547

$541 COP 1.9M

237.23%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Marathon versus $482 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 237% 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 $60.0 in Marathon versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 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 136%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,605 per month in Marathon and $1,525 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 $734 per month in Marathon and $312 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 $1,017, than in Marathon at $2,404. 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.