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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,572 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,092 in East London, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than East London, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and East London are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, East London 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.79 R 110

-12.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$30.73 R 497

8.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.45 R 71.9

62.47%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.02 R 32.73

-19.31%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.99 R 16.00

10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.82 R 13.23

-10.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.56 R 41.32

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.13 R 50.6

3.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.06 R 17.13

-0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.90 R 14.55

43.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.03 R 32.85

-34.98%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.06 R 33.29

10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.36 R 151

-53.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.15 R 67.0

41.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.42 R 120

16.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.52 R 24.50

48.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.13 R 34.47

-49.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.43 R 23.19

6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.46 R 23.66

-2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.57 R 25.32

-25.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.47 R 23.78

-20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.05 R 16.97

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.92 R 14.88

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.62 R 42.36

-14.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.92 R 79.6

124.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.71 R 27.71

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.53 R 40.93

-5.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.73 R 11.82

15.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$21.78 R 352

92.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.13 R 18.29

24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.96 R 15.50

97.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.14 R 66.9

87.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.21 R 19.62

-16.53%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$37.0K R 598.3K

-52.50%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.2K R 359.6K

19.12%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$196 R 3,172

-57.36%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$30.20 R 488

-68.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$44.54 R 720

-45.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.44 R 541

-24.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$1.43 R 23.05

1238.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.60 R 58.2

13.89%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$121 R 1,948

158.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,276 R 69.1K

40.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$51.9 R 838

11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.73 R 464

13.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$107 R 1,724

-6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$85.4 R 1,380

27.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$268 R 4,337

79.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$300 R 4,845

26.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$505 R 8,161

65.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$551 R 8,912

31.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,645 R 26.6K

-67.13%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for East London: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $268 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 204% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $187 – 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $1,052 in East London – roughly 3% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,578 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 $312 per month in Medellin and $121 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 $1,017, than in East London at $1,052. 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,052 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.