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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,051 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,562 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,074 in East London, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.53 R 108

-9.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$30.53 R 505

7.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.47 R 73.9

66.22%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,211

$2.08 R 34.48

-20.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,471

$1.01 R 16.64

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,460

$0.86 R 14.22

-9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,416

$2.46 R 40.64

-30.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.04 R 50.3

4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,477

$1.02 R 16.90

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,965

$0.91 R 15.01

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,353

$2.08 R 34.36

-33.65%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,864

$2.05 R 33.89

6.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$9.36 R 155

-52.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$4.14 R 68.4

39.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$7.47 R 124

20.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,314

$1.59 R 26.23

45.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,355

$2.05 R 33.96

-48.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,778

$1.38 R 22.79

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,273

$1.46 R 24.15

-6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.56 R 25.74

-27.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.49 R 24.61

-21.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,840

$1.09 R 18.09

-17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.87 R 14.37

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,039

$2.62 R 43.40

-14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.65 R 76.9

160.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,746

$1.73 R 28.55

-31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,822

$2.53 R 41.89

-1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.68 R 11.19

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.1K

$21.98 R 364

89.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,462

$1.14 R 18.90

24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,146

$0.95 R 15.67

105.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.07 R 67.4

93.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,121

$1.27 R 21.08

-22.05%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$37.1K R 613.2K

-52.52%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.3K R 368.9K

20.17%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$196 R 3,243

-57.66%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$29.96 R 496

-67.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$45.04 R 745

-47.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$34.20 R 566

-26.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$1.38 R 22.75

1284.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.68 R 60.9

7.34%

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

$316 COP 995.1K

$117 R 1,936

169.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,123 R 68.2K

44.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$52.3 R 865

14.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$29.05 R 480

9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$108 R 1,794

-6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.6K

$87.2 R 1,442

23.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$261 R 4,315

82.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$296 R 4,902

26.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$506 R 8,362

67.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$561 R 9,281

28.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,628 R 26.9K

-61.64%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for East London: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $261 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 161% 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: $193 vs $185 – 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,051 in East London – roughly 5% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,576 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 $316 per month in Medellin and $117 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 4% 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 $1,003, than in East London at $1,051. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,051 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.