Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,045 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,696 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,347 in East London, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while East London is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$9.32 R 151

-13.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$38.27 R 622

25.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.78 R 93.9

71.11%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.12 R 34.49

47.64%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.09 R 17.65

75.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.80 R 12.94

88.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.84 R 46.18

9.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.17 R 51.6

81.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.20 R 19.56

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.99 R 16.04

151.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.50 R 24.32

18.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.21 R 35.95

33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.02 R 147

11.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$5.54 R 90.0

82.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$8.48 R 138

68.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.50 R 24.43

176.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.58 R 25.75

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.74 R 28.25

29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.54 R 25.01

46.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.71 R 27.77

19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.47 R 23.85

4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.20 R 19.53

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.92 R 14.95

42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.92 R 47.46

33.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$4.99 R 81.1

180.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.31 R 21.25

32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.81 R 29.40

58.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.52 R 24.78

-19.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$48.19 R 783

67.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.21 R 19.59

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.50 R 8.16

338.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$8.50 R 138

2.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.33 R 21.66

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$36.2K R 588.0K

-23.05%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$29.4K R 478.3K

21.57%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$124 R 2,018

42.80%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$33.92 R 551

-59.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$44.33 R 721

-32.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$39.59 R 644

13.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.82 R 78.4

37.97%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$179 R 2,913

353.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$5,458 R 88.7K

68.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$58.6 R 952

52.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$34.33 R 558

71.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$73.0 R 1,187

89.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$100 R 1,626

2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$294 R 4,787

260.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$255 R 4,141

160.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$548 R 8,916

244.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$655 R 10.7K

56.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,704 R 27.7K

-60.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for East London: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $294 in East London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 151% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $193 – making East London 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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,045 in East London – roughly 61% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,567 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $179 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Medellin at $1,681. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,045 in East London to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with East London. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.