Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Basseterre Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Basseterre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,461 in Basseterre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,545 in Basseterre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,630 in Basseterre, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Basseterre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Basseterre sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Basseterre by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$18.68 EC$50.4

-57.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$14.17 EC$38.26

-30.20%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.78 EC$10.19

-17.20%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.99 EC$5.36

-4.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.24 EC$6.05

-32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.00 EC$5.39

56.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.75 EC$10.12

53.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.38 EC$6.44

-39.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.61 EC$9.75

-31.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.67 EC$9.90

-51.77%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.71 EC$15.42

-48.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.51 EC$25.69

6.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.40 EC$11.87

-5.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.01 EC$8.12

-46.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.75 EC$10.13

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.19 EC$5.90

-6.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.86 EC$5.03

-17.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.69 EC$1.85

89.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.89 EC$5.09

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.77 EC$10.17

-23.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$2.26 EC$6.09

-46.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$20.38 EC$55.0

-93.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$86.8 EC$234

104.31%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$39.38 EC$106

-64.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$36.53 EC$98.6

22.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.39 EC$17.26

4.07%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$88.9 EC$240

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$132 EC$355

5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$703 EC$1,899

51.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$640 EC$1,728

3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$4,996 EC$13.5K

-16.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$4,007 EC$10.8K

-58.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,099 EC$2,967

-38.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

173.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Basseterre: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $703 in Basseterre. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 62% higher in Basseterre, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

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

Medellin vs Basseterre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,461 in Basseterre – roughly 15% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,191 in Basseterre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Basseterre, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,461 in Basseterre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Basseterre, where all-in costs run around $1,461, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Basseterre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,461 in Basseterre to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Basseterre. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.