Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Crooked Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Crooked Island

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,138 in Crooked Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,461 in Crooked Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $4,784 in Crooked Island.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 52% less than in Crooked Island, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Crooked Island is 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$50.6 BSD 50.6

-88.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$13.10 BSD 13.10

-44.81%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.09 BSD 4.09

-60.15%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$3.96 BSD 3.96

-72.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.04 BSD 2.04

-64.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.05 BSD 5.05

-65.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$5.13 BSD 5.13

-37.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$8.11 BSD 8.11

-87.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$6.02 BSD 6.02

-78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.53 BSD 3.53

-62.61%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$11.62 BSD 11.62

-80.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.21 BSD 13.21

-67.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.94 BSD 7.94

8.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$6.37 BSD 6.37

-64.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.28 BSD 1.28

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$11.87 BSD 11.87

-88.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.21 BSD 2.21

-47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.92 BSD 2.92

-59.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.98 BSD 0.98

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$2.01 BSD 2.01

-55.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$29.91 BSD 29.91

-63.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$5.03 BSD 5.03

-77.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$4.97 BSD 4.97

-52.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.03 BSD 2.03

-6.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$216 BSD 216

-61.31%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$60.1 BSD 60.1

-84.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$69.1 BSD 69.1

-65.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$79.5 BSD 79.5

-26.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$50.7 BSD 50.7

-35.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$247 BSD 247

-59.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$102 BSD 102

6.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$547 BSD 547

-11.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$541 BSD 541

-29.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,594 BSD 1,594

-47.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,626 BSD 1,626

-55.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,095 BSD 1,095

-50.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Crooked Island: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $547 in Crooked Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 102% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Crooked Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Crooked Island differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $2,138 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Crooked Island earns 102% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $547 in Crooked Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 162% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $2,138 in Crooked Island – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,138 in Crooked Island, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Crooked Island. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Crooked Island are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.