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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,171 in Crooked Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $3,571 in Crooked Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $4,971 in Crooked Island.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 23% less than in Crooked Island, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Crooked Island 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$49.01 BSD 49.01

-83.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$13.01 BSD 13.01

-23.98%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.90 BSD 3.90

-19.74%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.91 BSD 3.91

-51.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.95 BSD 1.95

-22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.09 BSD 5.09

-38.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.06 BSD 5.06

13.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$7.86 BSD 7.86

-81.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$6.10 BSD 6.10

-59.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.45 BSD 3.45

-48.70%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$11.43 BSD 11.43

-74.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$13.13 BSD 13.13

-23.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.07 BSD 8.07

77.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$14.08 BSD 14.08

-70.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.28 BSD 1.28

75.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$12.17 BSD 12.17

-81.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.21 BSD 2.21

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.81 BSD 2.81

-45.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.99 BSD 0.99

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.94 BSD 1.94

-32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$30.14 BSD 30.14

-53.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$4.93 BSD 4.93

-64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.91 BSD 4.91

-41.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.07 BSD 2.07

5.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$221 BSD 221

-19.71%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$60.2 BSD 60.2

-76.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$68.9 BSD 68.9

-56.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$81.4 BSD 81.4

9.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$49.63 BSD 49.63

18.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$249 BSD 249

-44.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$99.7 BSD 99.7

2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$560 BSD 560

89.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$540 BSD 540

22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,611 BSD 1,611

17.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,601 BSD 1,601

-35.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,077 BSD 1,077

-37.10%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Crooked Island: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $560 in Crooked Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 59% 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $2,171 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Crooked Island. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $560 in Crooked Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $2,171 in Crooked Island – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,171 in Crooked Island, a $2,500 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 29% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.