Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cape Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cape Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,288 in Cape Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,011 in Cape Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,735 in Cape Town, rent included.

Medellin is about 22% cheaper than Cape Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Cape Town are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Cape Town 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.97 R 181

-46.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$45.62 R 751

-27.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.10 R 83.9

45.69%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.08 R 34.17

-20.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.10 R 18.18

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.87 R 14.35

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.85 R 46.98

-39.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.58 R 42.46

23.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.11 R 18.33

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.08 R 17.84

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.84 R 30.23

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.41 R 39.69

-9.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.48 R 140

-47.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.28 R 87.0

9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.70 R 127

16.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.49 R 24.51

55.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.47 R 24.18

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.45 R 23.84

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.52 R 25.01

-10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.08 R 17.81

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.24 R 20.43

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.05 R 17.35

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.01 R 16.61

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.01 R 49.52

-25.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.05 R 99.6

100.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.40 R 23.13

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.68 R 27.71

47.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.96 R 15.82

-11.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$48.42 R 797

-14.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.38 R 22.73

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.01 R 16.55

93.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.41 R 72.7

78.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.19 R 19.54

-16.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.7K R 356.4K

-18.71%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.1K R 396.6K

11.24%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$98.2 R 1,616

-15.43%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$33.13 R 545

-70.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$40.84 R 672

-42.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$42.19 R 695

-40.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.90 R 130

141.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.90 R 114

-42.75%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$213 R 3,502

48.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,327 R 87.7K

12.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$54.5 R 898

10.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$33.40 R 550

-4.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$115 R 1,897

-11.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$84.4 R 1,390

27.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$750 R 12.4K

-36.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$522 R 8,593

-28.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,411 R 23.2K

-39.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,024 R 16.9K

-29.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,304 R 37.9K

41.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,476 R 24.3K

-2.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,593 R 26.2K

-60.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.77

14.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $750 in Cape Town. 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 155% higher in Cape Town, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $46.00 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $188 in Cape Town – so Cape Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 28% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,932 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,288 in Cape Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Cape Town at $1,288. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,288 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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