🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $917 in Margate versus $1,034 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,412 in Margate versus $1,577 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,907 in Margate versus $2,120 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Margate costs roughly 11% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Margate32% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.05R 117
$5.92COP 21.5K
19.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.46R 471
$32.75COP 119.1K
-13.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.40R 56.2
$7.20COP 26.2K
-52.78%
Cappuccino
$1.23R 20.28
$1.70COP 6,186
-27.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67R 11.12
$1.10COP 3,996
-39.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37R 6.17
$0.72COP 2,625
-48.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.01R 33.25
$1.67COP 6,067
20.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36R 22.56
$3.10COP 11.3K
-56.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.81R 13.41
$1.06COP 3,837
-23.58%
White Bread(500g)
$0.80R 13.24
$1.25COP 4,531
-36.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.20R 19.94
$1.39COP 5,060
-13.67%
Eggs
$2.20R 36.43
$2.26COP 8,229
-2.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.86R 80.5
$4.33COP 15.8K
12.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.47R 40.94
$5.84COP 21.2K
-57.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$3.50R 58.0
$8.83COP 32.1K
-60.36%
Apples(1kg)
$1.37R 22.62
$2.24COP 8,159
-38.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.40R 23.24
$1.08COP 3,911
29.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.23R 20.35
$1.53COP 5,563
-19.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.29R 21.40
$1.37COP 4,987
-5.84%
Potato(1kg)
$0.99R 16.40
$1.13COP 4,109
-12.39%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19R 19.69
$1.12COP 4,067
6.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.97R 16.11
$0.85COP 3,080
14.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95R 15.77
$0.91COP 3,305
4.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.44R 23.91
$2.33COP 8,477
-38.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.60R 59.5
$11.13COP 40.5K
-67.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93R 15.38
$1.19COP 4,342
-21.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37R 22.67
$2.37COP 8,617
-42.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Margate
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.07R 17.66
$0.79COP 2,859
35.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.71R 11.78
$1.44COP 5,223
-50.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58R 9.52
$1.91COP 6,952
-69.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.39R 72.6
$8.02COP 29.2K
-45.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34R 22.11
$0.94COP 3,410
42.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.1KR 332.2K
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
11.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5KR 405.9K
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
-8.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$146R 2,420
$84.0COP 305.4K
74.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.77R 493
$9.60COP 34.9K
210.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.93R 562
$24.16COP 87.9K
40.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$31.19R 516
$25.88COP 94.1K
20.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.44R 57.0
$19.04COP 69.3K
-81.93%
Cinema Ticket
$3.68R 61.0
$3.92COP 14.2K
-6.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$206R 3,408
$306COP 1.1M
-32.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,675R 77.4K
$5,919COP 21.5M
-21.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.44R 686
$57.9COP 210.6K
-28.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.51R 505
$31.82COP 115.7K
-4.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.6R 1,582
$99.9COP 363.3K
-4.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.6R 1,185
$107COP 389.7K
-33.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Margate
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$369R 6,101
$487COP 1.8M
-24.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$335R 5,551
$368COP 1.3M
-8.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$694R 11.5K
$826COP 3.0M
-15.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$684R 11.3K
$716COP 2.6M
-4.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$534R 8,845
$2,925COP 10.6M
-81.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$555R 9,188
$1,407COP 5.1M
-60.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,517R 25.1K
$546COP 2.0M
178.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.01
13.43
-10.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Margate: April 28, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $369 in Margate and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Margate pays 178% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $28.00 in Margate vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $190 per month, with Margate 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
Margate vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Margate or Medellin?
Margate wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Margate the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Margate or Medellin?
Margate pays 178% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Margate vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $369 in Margate versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Margate and Medellin?
Childcare runs $206 in Margate versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Margate vs Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Margate – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Margate or Medellin?
At $917 in Margate versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Margate but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Margate the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Margate or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Margate delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $917 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Margate hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Margate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.