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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,382 in Castries, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,219 in Castries, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,056 in Castries, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Castries is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.46 EC$20.14

-20.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$73.2 EC$198

-54.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.19 EC$19.42

0.56%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.74 EC$10.09

-56.42%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.13 EC$3.05

-3.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.93 EC$2.50

-21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.64 EC$7.14

-34.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.35 EC$9.05

-3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.18 EC$5.88

-51.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.70 EC$4.60

-24.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.68 EC$4.53

-21.43%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.33 EC$11.68

-47.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.01 EC$29.74

-60.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$9.46 EC$25.53

-37.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.95 EC$26.87

-13.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$7.59 EC$20.48

-70.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.68 EC$4.52

-36.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$6.35 EC$17.15

-76.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$9.35 EC$25.25

-84.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$3.38 EC$9.12

-65.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.71 EC$4.62

-31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.16 EC$5.84

-58.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.09 EC$2.94

-17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$9.18 EC$24.79

-75.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.49 EC$31.03

-3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.17 EC$5.87

-47.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$4.21 EC$11.36

-43.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.14 EC$3.06

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$9.50 EC$25.64

-85.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$18.44 EC$49.78

-57.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.59 EC$4.30

-36.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$28.9K EC$78.1K

-39.25%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.6K EC$74.4K

-3.90%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$106 EC$286

-20.93%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$87.4 EC$236

-89.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$43.70 EC$118

-44.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$42.09 EC$114

-39.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.62 EC$17.87

-38.07%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$201 EC$543

55.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$78.4 EC$212

-25.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$53.3 EC$144

-38.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$105 EC$284

-5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$111 EC$300

-2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$594 EC$1,605

-18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$400 EC$1,079

-5.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$995 EC$2,685

-15.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$713 EC$1,925

1.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$97.8 EC$264

2803.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$64.0 EC$173

1811.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,041 EC$2,810

-48.02%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Castries: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $594 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 92% 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 $73.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $371 – 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 36% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,073 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,382 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $201 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 $1,017, than in Castries at $1,382. 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 $1,017 versus $1,382 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.