Cost of Living Comparison Between Martin and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Martin and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Martin versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Martin versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,742 in Martin versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Martin is roughly 48% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Martin is 11% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 €8.00

$5.91 COP 18.6K

56.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.27 €40.07

$32.96 COP 103.8K

40.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 €7.81

$7.43 COP 23.4K

21.40%

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.57

$1.65 COP 5,207

80.00%

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

$1.83 €1.58

$1.10 COP 3,468

66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.17

$0.78 COP 2,458

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 €1.91

$1.72 COP 5,412

27.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.03

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-26.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.10 COP 3,474

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.26 COP 3,962

10.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.38 COP 4,349

49.28%

Eggs

$3.57 €3.09

$2.18 COP 6,858

63.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 €13.84

$4.49 COP 14.1K

255.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 €6.69

$5.79 COP 18.2K

33.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.36 €11.57

$8.97 COP 28.2K

48.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 €1.07

$2.32 COP 7,308

-46.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.48

$1.06 COP 3,352

61.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 €2.03

$1.52 COP 4,774

54.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 €1.89

$1.36 COP 4,270

60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.13 COP 3,552

24.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.17 COP 3,689

50.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 €1.45

$0.90 COP 2,838

86.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.66

$0.90 COP 2,823

-15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 €4.99

$2.23 COP 7,034

158.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 €4.08

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-61.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.88

$1.19 COP 3,743

-15.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.04

$2.48 COP 7,815

-4.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 €1.27

$0.85 COP 2,687

72.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.75 €24.90

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-30.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.42 COP 4,459

-3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.95 COP 6,141

-34.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 €20.42

$7.89 COP 24.8K

198.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.99 COP 3,118

83.84%

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

$23.3K €20.1K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

32.18%

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

$25.7K €22.2K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-4.22%

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

$315 €273

$83.0 COP 261.4K

279.59%

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

$27.82 €24.09

$9.70 COP 30.5K

186.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.90 €11.18

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-45.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.52 €32.49

$25.26 COP 79.5K

48.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.24 €14.93

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-9.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 €8.32

$3.95 COP 12.4K

143.04%

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

$342 €296

$316 COP 994.2K

8.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,301 €6,323

$5,975 COP 18.8M

22.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 €59.0

$60.0 COP 188.9K

13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.14 €12.25

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-55.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 €64.2

$102 COP 320.1K

-27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €92.0

$107 COP 338.3K

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 €446

$475 COP 1.5M

8.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 €404

$374 COP 1.2M

24.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 €665

$849 COP 2.7M

-9.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 €598

$719 COP 2.3M

-3.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 €2,019

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-28.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 €1,554

$1,441 COP 4.5M

24.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 €1,308

$624 COP 2.0M

141.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

13.43

-67.31%

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

Last update for Martin: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Martin and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 142% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Martin vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $193 per month, with Medellin 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

Martin vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 142% higher in Martin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Martin versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,481 per month in Martin versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 45% less than in Martin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,481 in Martin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Martin. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Martin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Martin and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.