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 $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $1,076 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,570 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $2,064 in East London, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than East London, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and East London are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, East London 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$6.90 R 113

-11.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$31.33 R 514

5.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$4.61 R 75.6

58.79%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$2.02 R 33.20

-17.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.99 R 16.18

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.88 R 14.36

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$2.57 R 42.20

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$3.02 R 49.45

4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.07 R 17.54

3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$0.90 R 14.77

45.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$1.96 R 32.16

-29.59%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$2.13 R 35.00

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$9.30 R 152

-53.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$4.06 R 66.6

42.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$7.35 R 121

22.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$1.58 R 25.84

43.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$2.15 R 35.30

-48.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$1.39 R 22.76

5.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.48 R 24.32

-7.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$1.49 R 24.37

-25.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$1.42 R 23.32

-18.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$1.06 R 17.38

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.92 R 15.10

-5.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$2.62 R 42.98

-10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$4.75 R 77.9

128.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.76 R 28.81

-31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$2.53 R 41.46

-1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.73 R 11.96

8.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$21.51 R 353

89.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$1.09 R 17.94

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.94 R 15.35

103.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$4.06 R 66.6

88.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.28 R 20.93

-24.22%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$35.7K R 585.8K

-49.33%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$21.9K R 358.8K

20.26%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$198 R 3,243

-58.88%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$30.90 R 507

-68.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$45.08 R 739

-45.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$33.27 R 546

-21.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$1.42 R 23.33

1232.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$3.66 R 60.0

6.28%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$119 R 1,957

154.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$4,233 R 69.4K

39.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$51.8 R 850

13.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$28.88 R 474

12.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$105 R 1,725

-3.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$85.2 R 1,396

27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$270 R 4,432

75.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$297 R 4,867

24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$509 R 8,351

66.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$544 R 8,922

31.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$1,685 R 27.6K

-67.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for East London: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $270 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 211% higher in East London, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $31 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $186 – 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: $1,014 in Medellin, $1,076 in East London – roughly 6% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,614 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Medellin and $119 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in East London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in East London at $1,076. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in East London 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 $1,014 in Medellin to $1,076 in East London. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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