🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,142 in Athlone.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $4,106 in Athlone.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $5,070 in Athlone.
🙂Living in Medellin costs roughly 67% less than in Athlone, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Athlone is 135% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.5K
$20.01€17.09
-70.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 119.1K
$93.8€80.1
-65.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.2K
$10.37€8.86
-30.57%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,186
$4.58€3.91
-62.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,996
$2.49€2.13
-55.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,625
$2.26€1.93
-68.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,067
$7.06€6.03
-76.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.3K
$6.71€5.73
-53.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,837
$1.37€1.17
-22.63%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,531
$1.30€1.11
-3.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,060
$1.73€1.48
-19.65%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,229
$4.10€3.50
-44.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.8K
$11.36€9.70
-61.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.2K
$11.67€9.97
-49.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 32.1K
$12.19€10.41
-27.56%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,159
$2.77€2.37
-19.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,911
$1.49€1.27
-27.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,563
$2.42€2.07
-36.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,987
$2.71€2.32
-49.45%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,109
$2.70€2.30
-58.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,067
$2.09€1.79
-46.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,080
$1.61€1.38
-47.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,305
$1.98€1.69
-54.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,477
$20.14€17.20
-88.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.5K
$11.64€9.94
-4.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,342
$3.49€2.98
-65.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,617
$3.70€3.16
-35.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,859
$1.81€1.55
-56.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 149.6K
$97.4€83.1
-57.75%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,223
$5.18€4.42
-72.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,952
$2.75€2.35
-30.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 29.2K
$29.13€24.87
-72.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,410
$2.09€1.78
-55.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
$42.3K€36.1K
-57.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
$39.2K€33.5K
-31.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 305.4K
$239€204
-64.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.9K
$22.00€18.79
-56.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.9K
$48.02€41.01
-49.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 94.1K
$60.7€51.8
-57.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 69.3K
$17.21€14.70
10.63%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.2K
$14.16€12.09
-72.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$1,365€1,166
-77.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.5M
$7,200€6,148
-17.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 210.6K
$103€88.1
-43.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 115.7K
$42.86€36.60
-25.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 363.3K
$88.9€76.0
12.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 389.7K
$79.4€67.8
34.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$1,475€1,260
-67.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$1,813€1,548
-79.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$2,466€2,106
-66.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$2,249€1,921
-68.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$3,518€3,005
-16.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$3,578€3,056
-60.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Athlone
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$3,375€2,882
-83.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
4.6
191.96%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Athlone: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,475 in Athlone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athlone pays 519% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $94.0 in Athlone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $316 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Athlone: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Athlone?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 204% lower than in Athlone. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or Athlone?
On paper, Athlone earns 519% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Athlone?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $1,475 in Athlone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Medellin and Athlone?
Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $1,365 in Athlone. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or Athlone?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Athlone. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Medellin or Athlone?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $3,142 in Athlone, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Athlone. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Athlone?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,034 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Athlone?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Athlone are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 204% less than in Athlone. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado