🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $922 in Margate versus $1,017 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Margate versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,929 in Margate versus $2,188 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Margate costs roughly 9% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Margate31% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.80R 110
$5.95COP 20.8K
14.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.47R 460
$33.33COP 116.3K
-14.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.48R 56.2
$7.23COP 25.2K
-51.87%
Cappuccino
$1.16R 18.83
$1.63COP 5,687
-28.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68R 10.96
$1.09COP 3,821
-37.61%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40R 6.53
$0.73COP 2,548
-45.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.99R 32.19
$1.74COP 6,065
14.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43R 23.11
$3.23COP 11.3K
-55.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.86R 13.85
$1.05COP 3,662
-18.10%
White Bread(500g)
$0.78R 12.64
$1.29COP 4,515
-39.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19R 19.32
$1.32COP 4,617
-9.85%
Eggs
$2.17R 35.01
$2.27COP 7,927
-4.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.83R 78.1
$4.35COP 15.2K
11.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.49R 40.23
$5.88COP 20.5K
-57.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$3.45R 55.8
$8.61COP 30.0K
-59.93%
Apples(1kg)
$1.42R 23.02
$2.25COP 7,844
-36.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.43R 23.12
$1.07COP 3,733
33.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.23R 19.95
$1.52COP 5,322
-19.08%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.35R 21.78
$1.42COP 4,964
-4.93%
Potato(1kg)
$0.93R 15.06
$1.17COP 4,084
-20.51%
Onion(1kg)
$1.23R 19.90
$1.17COP 4,077
5.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98R 15.87
$0.89COP 3,096
10.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91R 14.65
$0.90COP 3,146
1.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.52R 24.60
$2.25COP 7,837
-32.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.50R 56.6
$11.04COP 38.5K
-68.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87R 14.05
$1.14COP 3,977
-23.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42R 22.99
$2.38COP 8,301
-40.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Margate
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.06R 17.19
$0.84COP 2,916
26.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.95COP 146.4K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.76R 12.29
$1.41COP 4,912
-46.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.63R 10.14
$1.90COP 6,634
-66.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.53R 73.2
$7.75COP 27.0K
-41.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27R 20.48
$1.01COP 3,509
25.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5KR 331.3K
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
16.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5KR 396.8K
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
-7.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$146R 2,367
$83.7COP 292.1K
74.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.81R 466
$9.45COP 33.0K
204.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.61R 543
$24.11COP 84.1K
39.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$31.47R 509
$25.31COP 88.3K
24.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.30R 53.4
$19.14COP 66.8K
-82.76%
Cinema Ticket
$3.74R 60.4
$4.10COP 14.3K
-8.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$204R 3,297
$312COP 1.1M
-34.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,621R 74.7K
$5,993COP 20.9M
-22.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.32R 668
$58.0COP 202.6K
-28.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.21R 488
$32.56COP 113.6K
-7.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.9R 1,551
$99.6COP 347.7K
-3.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.7R 1,191
$109COP 378.8K
-32.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Margate
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$360R 5,814
$482COP 1.7M
-25.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$335R 5,413
$379COP 1.3M
-11.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$693R 11.2K
$837COP 2.9M
-17.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$678R 11.0K
$723COP 2.5M
-6.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$900R 14.6K
$2,840COP 9.9M
-68.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$695R 11.2K
$1,223COP 4.3M
-43.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,507R 24.4K
$541COP 1.9M
178.69%
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Margate and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Margate pays 179% 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 10% 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 179% 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: $360 in Margate versus $482 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 $204 in Margate versus $312 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 $922 in Margate versus $1,017 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 $922 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 10% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.