Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Congo

For one person, living is cheaper in El Congo: $575 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

El Congo

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$575

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in El Congo

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 El Congo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $575 in El Congo, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
El Congo $575

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $598 in El Congo, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
El Congo $598

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $621 in El Congo, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
El Congo $621

Medellin costs about 185% more than El Congo.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while El Congo is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.6K

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,722

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

$1.80 COP 5,801

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,554

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,869

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,667

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,712

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,320

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,005

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,039

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,041

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,328

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,125

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,694

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,009

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,352

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,281

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,766

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,089

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,603

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,343

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

$34.1K COP 109.8M

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

$34.7K COP 111.8M

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

$170 COP 547.0K

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

$13.55 COP 43.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 140.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

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

$797 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 186.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 315.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$716 $716

68.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$575 $575

11.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$940 $940

115.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$621 $621

63.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.4M

$4,374 $4,374

-4.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$1,292 $1,292

47.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$962 $962

-31.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.72

91.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for El Congo: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

El Congo

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

El Congo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

El Congo

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

El Congo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

El Congo

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

El Congo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

El Congo

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $716 in El Congo. 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 46% higher in El Congo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇸🇻 El Congo

🕒 Local time

18:14 6:14 PM

17:14 5:14 PM

1 h behind Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

8,905

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Medellin El Congo 1,740 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
El Congo

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 El Congo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 185% more than El Congo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $862 in El Congo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Congo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in El Congo, where all-in costs run around $575, than in Medellin at $1,639. In El Congo 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 $575 in El Congo to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.