Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ceuta

For one person, living is cheaper in Ceuta: $1,479 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Medellin despite lower rent and utilities.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Ceuta
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,479
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ceuta

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ceuta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,479 in Ceuta, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Ceuta $1,479

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $2,189 in Ceuta, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Ceuta $2,189

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $2,898 in Ceuta, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Ceuta $2,898

Medellin costs about 10% more than Ceuta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Ceuta sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Ceuta by 9%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$12.13 €10.79
-31.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$38.95 €34.64
20.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$9.24 €8.22
-
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$2.25 €2.00
35.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$2.84 €2.53
-36.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$2.27 €2.02
-39.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$3.31 €2.94
-2.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$4.37 €3.89
27.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$0.71 €0.63
111.27%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$1.13 €1.01
109.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.38 €1.23
23.19%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$2.82 €2.50
4.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$8.43 €7.49
21.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$7.25 €6.45
34.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$9.01 €8.02
54.27%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$2.46 €2.19
67.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.56 €1.38
-1.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$1.03 €0.92
115.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$1.55 €1.38
46.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$1.15 €1.03
73.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$1.69 €1.51
-1.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.04 €0.92
13.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.27 €0.24
359.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$6.33 €5.63
-38.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$4.52 €4.02
204.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$0.46 €0.41
260.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$1.09 €0.97
120.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$0.91 €0.81
36.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$30.47 €27.10
156.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$2.19 €1.95
-41.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$1.11 €0.98
93.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$11.17 €9.93
-25.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$1.26 €1.12
7.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$29.8K €26.6K
16.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$31.7K €28.2K
9.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$157 €140
6.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$13.01 €11.57
4.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$26.15 €23.26
11.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$39.49 €35.13
14.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$17.12 €15.22
0.35%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$8.89 €7.91
-21.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$350 €312
125.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$7,793 €6,932
16.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$63.5 €56.5
38.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$33.03 €29.38
76.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$74.9 €66.6
85.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$89.8 €79.9
10.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$812 €722
26.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$684 €608
-9.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$1,499 €1,333
25.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$1,179 €1,049
-14.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$3,299 €2,934
20.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$2,050 €1,824
-16.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ceuta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$2,375 €2,112
-72.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.32
229.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ceuta: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Ceuta
$684 10.4% $64
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Ceuta
$185 37.9% $113
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Ceuta
$196 6.3% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Ceuta
$118 31.9% $55
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Ceuta
$198 15.6% $27
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Ceuta
$42 56% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Ceuta
$57 3% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $812 in Ceuta. 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 258% higher in Ceuta, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Ceuta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $185 – making Ceuta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇸 Ceuta
🕒 Local time
04:32 4:32 AM
11:32 11:32 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
83,039
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Ceuta 7,820 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Ceuta

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ceuta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Ceuta compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,625 in Medellin, $1,479 in Ceuta – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Ceuta?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $2,219 in Ceuta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Ceuta?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ceuta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Ceuta?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $1,479 in Ceuta. That's a gap of about 10%.
How do commuting costs compare in Medellin and in Ceuta?
Public transport costs about 157% less in Ceuta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ceuta, where all-in costs run around $1,479, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Ceuta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Ceuta?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,479 in Ceuta to $1,625 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Medellin or Ceuta safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Medellin and Ceuta?
If budget matters most, go with Ceuta. 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.

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