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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,436 in Castries, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,355 in Castries, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,273 in Castries, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Castries, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Castries sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Castries by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.01 EC$24.34

-10.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$74.9 EC$202

-36.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.47 EC$22.86

16.77%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.81 EC$10.28

-17.85%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.88 EC$5.09

1.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.93 EC$2.51

62.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.80 EC$7.56

11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.24 EC$8.75

77.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.10 EC$5.68

-31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.81 EC$4.89

37.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.72 EC$4.65

2.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.51 EC$12.19

-34.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.09 EC$29.94

-9.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.08 EC$24.52

11.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.47 EC$39.08

-1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$8.49 EC$22.93

-51.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.61 EC$4.35

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$8.30 EC$22.42

-72.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$14.72 EC$39.75

-84.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.46 EC$9.35

-41.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.08 EC$5.63

-25.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.23 EC$6.03

-47.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.28 EC$3.47

2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$9.42 EC$25.45

-58.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.14 EC$30.09

25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.25 EC$6.08

-22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$5.67 EC$15.30

-49.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.08 EC$2.91

12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$9.02 EC$24.35

-85.48%

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

$1.58 EC$4.28

-13.29%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$26.0K EC$70.2K

7.12%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$36.7K EC$99.2K

-2.61%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$125 EC$336

42.38%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$88.6 EC$239

-84.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$48.11 EC$130

-38.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$42.31 EC$114

6.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.52 EC$14.91

20.47%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$210 EC$567

287.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$82.8 EC$223

8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$51.5 EC$139

14.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$113 EC$305

22.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$111 EC$300

-8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$462 EC$1,247

129.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$340 EC$919

94.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,204 EC$3,250

56.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$712 EC$1,923

44.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$101 EC$272

4046.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$64.3 EC$173

2506.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,098 EC$2,966

-38.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.75

41.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Castries: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $462 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 reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $75.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $429 – 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

Medellin costs about 17% more than Castries, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,155 in Castries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castries, 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 $1,436 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $210 in Castries. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castries, where all-in costs run around $1,436, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Castries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castries costs $1,436 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Castries. 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.