Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cumbria

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $2,304 in Cumbria, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Cumbria
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,304
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Cumbria

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Cumbria actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,625 in Medellin versus $2,304 in Cumbria.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Cumbria $2,304

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,412 in Medellin versus $3,396 in Cumbria.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Cumbria $3,396

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Medellin versus $4,488 in Cumbria.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Cumbria $4,488

Living in Medellin costs roughly 29% less than in Cumbria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Cumbria 70% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$20.51 £15.38
-59.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$87.7 £65.8
-46.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$9.24 £6.93
-
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$4.91 £3.69
-37.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$2.48 £1.86
-27.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$1.87 £1.40
-26.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$6.56 £4.92
-50.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$6.52 £4.89
-14.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.43 £1.08
4.90%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$1.62 £1.21
46.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.94 £1.46
-12.37%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$4.19 £3.14
-29.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$10.50 £7.88
-2.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$7.92 £5.94
22.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$14.26 £10.70
-2.52%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$2.65 £1.99
55.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.48 £1.11
3.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$2.81 £2.11
-21.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$3.29 £2.47
-31.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$1.46 £1.10
36.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$1.61 £1.21
3.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.22 £0.92
-3.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$1.48 £1.11
-16.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$23.94 £17.96
-83.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$10.81 £8.11
27.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$2.97 £2.23
-44.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$3.15 £2.36
-23.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$3.52 £2.64
-64.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$85.2 £63.9
-8.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$4.31 £3.23
-70.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$1.84 £1.38
16.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$24.56 £18.43
-65.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$2.30 £1.73
-41.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$34.0K £25.5K
2.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$45.9K £34.4K
-24.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$279 £209
-40.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$18.09 £13.57
-24.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$36.13 £27.10
-19.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$47.01 £35.27
-4.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$18.10 £13.58
-5.08%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$13.85 £10.39
-49.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,404 £1,054
-43.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$25.6K £19.2K
-64.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$86.7 £65.0
1.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$45.75 £34.32
27.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$82.7 £62.1
68.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$102 £76.5
-2.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$1,226 £920
-16.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$1,034 £776
-40.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$2,351 £1,764
-20.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$1,674 £1,256
-39.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$5,578 £4,185
-28.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$4,217 £3,164
-59.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Cumbria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$4,695 £3,523
-85.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.09
114.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Cumbria: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Cumbria
$1K 67% $415
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Cumbria
$292 2% $6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Cumbria
$333 59.2% $124
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Cumbria
$143 17.4% $30
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Cumbria
$314 83.8% $143
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Cumbria
$113 18.5% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Cumbria
$75 26.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $1,226 in Cumbria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cumbria pays 608% 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: $47.00 in Medellin vs $88.0 in Cumbria. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $292, with Cumbria cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇬🇧 Cumbria
🕒 Local time
03:06 3:06 AM
09:06 9:06 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
510,680
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Cumbria 8,330 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Cumbria

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cumbria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cumbria cheaper than Medellin?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and leisure. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Cumbria?
On paper, salaries run 608% lower in Cumbria. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Cumbria?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,226 in Cumbria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Cumbria?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $88.0 in Cumbria. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Cumbria?
All in, you'll spend $1,625 per month in Medellin versus $2,304 in Cumbria – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Cumbria?
At $1,625 in Medellin versus $2,304 in Cumbria, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cumbria. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Cumbria more family-friendly?
For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cumbria, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Cumbria?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Cumbria are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Cumbria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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