Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Columbia, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Columbia, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,160 in Columbia, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,066 in Columbia, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,971 in Columbia, SC.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 53% less than in Columbia, SC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Columbia, SC is 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$18.02 $18.02

-66.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$60.1 $60.1

-45.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.90 $11.90

-40.42%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.78 $3.78

-54.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.31 $2.31

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.88 $1.88

-58.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.52 $4.52

-62.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$5.37 $5.37

-42.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.91 $0.91

19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.69 $2.69

-53.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.51 $3.51

-60.68%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$4.18 $4.18

-47.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.66 $9.66

-54.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$12.71 $12.71

-55.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$22.47 $22.47

-60.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$5.01 $5.01

-53.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.75 $1.75

-39.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$5.23 $5.23

-71.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.13 $3.13

-55.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$3.32 $3.32

-65.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$4.60 $4.60

-74.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.99 $1.99

-55.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.88 $1.88

-55.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.84 $8.84

-74.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.33 $15.33

-30.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.95 $1.95

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.72 $2.72

-9.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$2.04 $2.04

-57.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$40.48 $40.48

2.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.96 $1.96

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.47 $1.47

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$18.23 $18.23

-57.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.75 $0.75

26.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$30.0K $30.0K

-39.56%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$25.5K $25.5K

3.70%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$223 $223

-63.12%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$53.7 $53.7

-82.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$59.2 $59.2

-59.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$39.79 $39.79

-34.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$7.10 $7.10

167.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$15.03 $15.03

-73.85%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$1,453 $1,453

-78.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$22.9K $22.9K

-73.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$54.6 $54.6

7.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$34.82 $34.82

-7.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$78.0 $78.0

31.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$115 $115

-5.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,325 $1,325

-64.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$918 $918

-58.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,217 $2,217

-62.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,307 $1,307

-44.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,103 $2,103

32.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,640 $1,640

-26.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,216 $3,216

-84.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.54

105.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Columbia, SC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,325 in Columbia, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, SC pays 528% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $60.0 in Columbia, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $394 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Columbia, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Columbia, SC earns 528% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $1,325 in Columbia, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Columbia, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $60.0 in Columbia, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,160 in Columbia, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Columbia, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Columbia, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Columbia, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.