🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $905 in Margate versus $1,003 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Margate versus $1,573 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,885 in Margate versus $2,143 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Margate costs roughly 10% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Margate32% lower, Medellin25% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.03R 117
$5.91COP 18.9K
18.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.75R 462
$32.96COP 105.2K
-15.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.59R 59.7
$7.43COP 23.7K
-51.68%
Cappuccino
$1.18R 19.70
$1.65COP 5,276
-28.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67R 11.16
$1.10COP 3,514
-39.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40R 6.67
$0.78COP 2,491
-48.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.01R 33.42
$1.72COP 5,484
16.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42R 23.65
$3.18COP 10.1K
-55.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.85R 14.18
$1.10COP 3,521
-22.73%
White Bread(500g)
$0.79R 13.23
$1.26COP 4,015
-37.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.26R 21.04
$1.38COP 4,407
-8.70%
Eggs
$2.10R 35.00
$2.18COP 6,950
-3.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.77R 79.5
$4.49COP 14.3K
6.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.40R 40.04
$5.79COP 18.5K
-58.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$3.52R 58.6
$8.97COP 28.6K
-60.76%
Apples(1kg)
$1.36R 22.63
$2.32COP 7,405
-41.38%
Banana(1kg)
$1.37R 22.76
$1.06COP 3,397
29.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.28R 21.31
$1.52COP 4,838
-15.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.31R 21.82
$1.36COP 4,327
-3.68%
Potato(1kg)
$0.94R 15.65
$1.13COP 3,599
-16.81%
Onion(1kg)
$1.24R 20.58
$1.17COP 3,738
5.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98R 16.28
$0.90COP 2,876
8.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94R 15.66
$0.90COP 2,861
4.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.46R 24.35
$2.23COP 7,128
-34.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.46R 57.7
$12.12COP 38.7K
-71.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94R 15.68
$1.19COP 3,793
-21.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41R 23.53
$2.48COP 7,920
-43.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Margate
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.02R 17.06
$0.85COP 2,723
20.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.62COP 132.8K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.71R 11.78
$1.42COP 4,518
-50.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58R 9.71
$1.95COP 6,223
-70.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.58R 76.4
$7.89COP 25.2K
-41.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33R 22.14
$0.99COP 3,160
34.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.9KR 331.8K
$17.6KCOP 56.2M
13.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3KR 404.3K
$26.8KCOP 85.5M
-9.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$145R 2,410
$83.0COP 264.9K
74.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.84R 480
$9.70COP 30.9K
197.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.02R 567
$23.52COP 75.0K
44.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.47R 508
$25.26COP 80.6K
20.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.35R 55.8
$19.10COP 60.9K
-82.46%
Cinema Ticket
$3.54R 59.0
$3.95COP 12.6K
-10.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$206R 3,429
$316COP 1.0M
-34.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,591R 76.5K
$5,975COP 19.1M
-23.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.70R 711
$60.0COP 191.4K
-28.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.68R 494
$31.82COP 101.5K
-6.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.6R 1,559
$102COP 324.4K
-7.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5R 1,225
$107COP 342.8K
-31.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Margate
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$371R 6,175
$475COP 1.5M
-21.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$337R 5,610
$374COP 1.2M
-9.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$697R 11.6K
$849COP 2.7M
-17.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$700R 11.7K
$719COP 2.3M
-2.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$864R 14.4K
$3,265COP 10.4M
-73.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$644R 10.7K
$1,441COP 4.6M
-55.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Margate
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,513R 25.2K
$624COP 2.0M
142.33%
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Margate and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Margate pays 142% 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 $128 vs $193 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 11% 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 in Medellin?
Average pay runs 142% higher in Margate, 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 compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $371 in Margate versus $475 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 in Medellin?
Childcare runs $206 in Margate versus $316 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 and in 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 in Medellin?
At $905 in Margate versus $1,003 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 $905 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 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.