Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gabane Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gabane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $359 in Gabane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $545 in Gabane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $732 in Gabane, rent included.

Medellin costs about 180% more than Gabane, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Gabane are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Gabane 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$18.95 P 251

73.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.55 P 86.7

13.44%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.68 P 22.20

-1.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.68 P 9.06

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.65 P 8.61

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.30 P 30.50

-25.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.27 P 30.11

40.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.94 P 12.42

17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.89 P 11.78

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.53 P 20.25

42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.53 P 99.7

-23.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.20 P 29.12

-45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.18 P 28.82

13.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.51 P 6.72

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$76.0 P 1,006

-69.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$3.75 P 49.66

409.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.69 P 48.87

7.05%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$212 P 2,803

124.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$139 P 1,841

168.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$380 P 5,034

123.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$261 P 3,457

175.50%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gabane: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $212 in Gabane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Gabane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $77.0 – making Gabane 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 Gabane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 180%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $538 in Gabane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 150% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Gabane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gabane, where all-in costs run around $359, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Gabane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gabane – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Gabane. 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.