Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Creston Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Creston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $2,310 in Creston, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $3,317 in Creston, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $4,325 in Creston, rent included.

Medellin is about 29% cheaper than Creston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Creston sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Creston by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.1K

$18.39 CA$25.38

-56.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 150.7K

$66.0 CA$91.1

-26.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.4K

$11.45 CA$15.80

-17.73%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,169

$4.23 CA$5.84

-30.50%

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

$1.86 COP 5,817

$2.11 CA$2.91

-11.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,543

$1.73 CA$2.38

-15.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 10.0K

$5.30 CA$7.32

-39.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.8K

$6.33 CA$8.74

-9.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,491

$2.13 CA$2.94

-32.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,494

$2.93 CA$4.05

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,302

$3.12 CA$4.30

-45.51%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,022

$4.37 CA$6.03

-33.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.4K

$9.94 CA$13.72

1.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.1K

$9.96 CA$13.75

0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.3K

$14.84 CA$20.49

-4.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$3.82 CA$5.28

4.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,947

$1.33 CA$1.83

18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,718

$4.31 CA$5.95

-50.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,178

$3.50 CA$4.84

-34.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,257

$2.63 CA$3.63

-23.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.05 CA$2.83

-26.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,754

$2.41 CA$3.33

-50.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 4,002

$1.82 CA$2.52

-29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 12.0K

$13.68 CA$18.88

-71.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$13.25 CA$18.30

5.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,331

$2.74 CA$3.78

-37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,560

$3.26 CA$4.50

-15.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,888

$2.23 CA$3.08

-43.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 243.1K

$65.0 CA$89.7

19.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,073

$3.03 CA$4.18

-56.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,775

$1.46 CA$2.01

48.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.9K

$23.59 CA$32.57

-64.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,231

$1.19 CA$1.65

14.29%

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

$27.5K COP 85.7M

$24.6K CA$34.0K

11.63%

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

$36.5K COP 114.0M

$19.5K CA$26.9K

87.77%

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

$169 COP 526.6K

$137 CA$190

22.79%

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

$13.57 COP 42.4K

$38.94 CA$53.8

-65.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 88.4K

$55.8 CA$77.0

-49.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 142.7K

$38.95 CA$53.8

17.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.8K

$21.04 CA$29.04

-18.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.8K

$11.30 CA$15.59

-41.15%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$679 CA$937

18.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.7M

$14.5K CA$20.0K

-36.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 272.7K

$54.0 CA$74.6

61.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 185.3K

$42.85 CA$59.2

38.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 433.6K

$94.2 CA$130

47.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.5K

$89.5 CA$124

14.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,206 CA$1,664

-11.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,161 CA$1,602

-43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$2,272 CA$3,136

-15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$1,864 CA$2,573

-43.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.9M

$3,697 CA$5,103

11.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$3,334 CA$4,602

-49.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.68

133.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Creston: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,206 in Creston. 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 $66.0 in Creston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $357 – 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 Creston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Creston is pricier by about 41%, 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 $3,465 in Creston. 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $2,310 in Creston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Creston at $2,310. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Creston 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, Creston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.