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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Marathon vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,299 per month in Marathon vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,335 per month in Marathon vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Marathon costs about 38% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Marathon and Medellin sit above the global median – Marathon by 64%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.33

$8.04 COP 24.8K

127.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 CA$93.4

$48.29 COP 148.6K

39.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 CA$14.76

$9.42 COP 29.0K

12.95%

Cappuccino

$3.59 CA$4.97

$2.94 COP 9,040

22.11%

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

$2.08 CA$2.88

$1.86 COP 5,735

11.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.46 COP 4,479

13.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.69

$3.21 COP 9,882

72.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$7.95

$5.71 COP 17.6K

0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.44 COP 4,428

40.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 CA$3.51

$2.40 COP 7,389

5.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$1.70 COP 5,228

93.53%

Eggs

$3.42 CA$4.74

$2.89 COP 8,896

18.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 CA$13.87

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 CA$16.06

$9.97 COP 30.7K

16.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.14 CA$21.00

$14.20 COP 43.7K

6.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.23

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-5.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.88

$1.58 COP 4,878

-13.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.32

$2.15 COP 6,624

78.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.34

$2.30 COP 7,078

67.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.52

$2.00 COP 6,169

27.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$1.51 COP 4,646

46.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$1.20 COP 3,701

105.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.28 COP 3,946

30.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 CA$19.65

$3.84 COP 11.8K

269.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CA$17.22

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CA$3.82

$1.71 COP 5,256

60.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.39

$2.74 COP 8,440

15.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$1.25 COP 3,834

89.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$87.6

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-18.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$1.31 COP 4,016

128.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$2.17 COP 6,680

-33.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.46 CA$32.54

$8.29 COP 25.5K

182.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.36 COP 4,172

-15.44%

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

$28.5K CA$39.5K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

3.69%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-46.66%

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

$142 CA$197

$169 COP 519.2K

-15.89%

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

$39.20 CA$54.4

$13.57 COP 41.8K

188.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 CA$79.4

$28.32 COP 87.2K

102.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.56 CA$57.6

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-9.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.81 CA$26.09

$17.22 COP 53.0K

9.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 CA$15.70

$6.65 COP 20.5K

70.23%

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

$768 CA$1,064

$803 COP 2.5M

-4.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.4K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

44.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 CA$74.6

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-38.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 CA$53.1

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-35.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$121

$139 COP 427.5K

-37.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$144

$102 COP 314.0K

1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 CA$1,799

$1,071 COP 3.3M

21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 CA$1,630

$653 COP 2.0M

80.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,823

$1,925 COP 5.9M

5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 CA$2,429

$1,048 COP 3.2M

67.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 CA$6,061

$4,123 COP 12.7M

6.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,735 CA$5,180

$1,697 COP 5.2M

120.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 CA$2,543

$655 COP 2.0M

179.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

10.94

-57.22%

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

Last update for Marathon: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Marathon versus $1,071 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 180% 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 $67.0 in Marathon versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $300 – 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 38%, 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 $3,395 per month in Marathon and $2,462 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 $768 per month in Marathon and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Marathon at $2,263. 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.