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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,198 in Crooked Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $3,506 in Crooked Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $4,814 in Crooked Island.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 53% less than in Crooked Island, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Crooked Island is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$50.2 BSD 50.2

-88.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$12.85 BSD 12.85

-43.97%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.97 BSD 3.97

-57.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$3.98 BSD 3.98

-72.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.05 BSD 2.05

-64.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$5.05 BSD 5.05

-66.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.11 BSD 5.11

-39.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$7.84 BSD 7.84

-86.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$5.83 BSD 5.83

-78.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.59 BSD 3.59

-61.28%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$11.55 BSD 11.55

-80.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$13.04 BSD 13.04

-66.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.92 BSD 7.92

11.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$6.41 BSD 6.41

-65.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.27 BSD 1.27

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$11.91 BSD 11.91

-88.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.14 BSD 2.14

-47.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.89 BSD 2.89

-61.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.02 BSD 1.02

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.96 BSD 1.96

-53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$30.30 BSD 30.30

-63.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$4.86 BSD 4.86

-75.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$4.89 BSD 4.89

-51.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.02 BSD 2.02

-5.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$217 BSD 217

-61.39%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$60.3 BSD 60.3

-84.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$71.2 BSD 71.2

-66.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$78.7 BSD 78.7

-26.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$49.53 BSD 49.53

-35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$249 BSD 249

-59.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$101 BSD 101

5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$542 BSD 542

-10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$549 BSD 549

-32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,571 BSD 1,571

-47.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,583 BSD 1,583

-54.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,091 BSD 1,091

-50.01%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Crooked Island: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $542 in Crooked Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 100% 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 113% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $2,198 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Crooked Island earns 100% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $542 in Crooked Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 159% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $2,198 in Crooked Island – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,198 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 113% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.