Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Charlotte Amalie Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Charlotte Amalie

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $2,360 in Charlotte Amalie, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $4,227 in Charlotte Amalie, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $6,093 in Charlotte Amalie, rent included.

Medellin is about 30% cheaper than Charlotte Amalie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Charlotte Amalie sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Charlotte Amalie by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$24.91 $24.91

-67.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$121 $121

-60.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$13.23 $13.23

-28.80%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$7.13 $7.13

-58.77%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$3.08 $3.08

-39.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$2.45 $2.45

-40.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$5.63 $5.63

-42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$6.92 $6.92

-17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$2.80 $2.80

-48.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$8.85 $8.85

-72.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$6.88 $6.88

-57.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$5.07 $5.07

-24.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$20.27 $20.27

-30.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$7.20 $7.20

-61.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

$6.17 $6.17

-79.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

$20.29 $20.29

-93.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

$1.36 $1.36

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

$45.9K $45.9K

-40.10%

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

$48.7K $48.7K

-25.05%

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$298 $298

-43.47%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$60.3 $60.3

-77.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$102 $102

-72.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

$202 $202

-77.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$12.02 $12.02

-44.68%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$91.3 $91.3

52.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,235 $1,235

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,019 $1,019

-35.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$3,467 $3,467

-44.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$2,988 $2,988

-64.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Charlotte Amalie: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,235 in Charlotte Amalie. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $121 in Charlotte Amalie. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $199 in Charlotte Amalie – so Charlotte Amalie 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 Charlotte Amalie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Charlotte Amalie is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $3,540 in Charlotte Amalie. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 51% cheaper in Charlotte Amalie – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $121 in Charlotte Amalie. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Charlotte Amalie at $2,360. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charlotte Amalie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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