Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Castries Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Castries

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,395 in Castries, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,241 in Castries, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,088 in Castries, rent included.

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Castries, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Castries is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.21 EC$19.47

-17.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$75.4 EC$204

-56.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.30 EC$19.71

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.61 EC$9.75

-52.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.12 EC$3.03

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.95 EC$2.56

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.62 EC$7.09

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.30 EC$8.90

-6.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.13 EC$5.74

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.63 EC$4.40

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.73 EC$4.67

-19.65%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.15 EC$11.20

-45.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.17 EC$30.17

-61.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$9.92 EC$26.78

-41.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.20 EC$27.54

-13.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.75 EC$20.93

-71.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.62 EC$4.36

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$6.33 EC$17.09

-75.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$8.91 EC$24.07

-84.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$3.43 EC$9.26

-67.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.74 EC$4.71

-35.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.19 EC$5.92

-61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.03 EC$2.79

-11.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$9.34 EC$25.21

-75.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.08 EC$29.91

0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.16 EC$5.82

-44.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$4.40 EC$11.89

-46.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.13 EC$3.05

-30.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$9.41 EC$25.40

-84.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$18.23 EC$49.23

-56.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.52 EC$4.09

-38.16%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$29.1K EC$78.7K

-38.49%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.9K EC$72.7K

-0.52%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$105 EC$283

-19.85%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$87.2 EC$235

-88.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$43.91 EC$119

-44.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$43.07 EC$116

-39.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.82 EC$18.41

-42.52%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$198 EC$535

54.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$80.0 EC$216

-27.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$51.6 EC$139

-38.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$103 EC$279

-3.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$111 EC$300

-3.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$590 EC$1,593

-17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$402 EC$1,086

-8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$978 EC$2,640

-15.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$691 EC$1,866

3.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$101 EC$273

2787.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$64.1 EC$173

2094.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$886 EC$2,392

-38.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.75

73.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Castries: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $590 in Castries. 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 Castries, 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 $75.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $370 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Castries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castries costs about 35% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,092 in Castries. 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,395 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $198 in Castries. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Castries at $1,395. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castries it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $1,395 in Castries. 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, Castries makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.