Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gan

For one person, living is cheaper in Gan: $44.76 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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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

Gan

🇲🇻 Maldives

$44.76

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Gan

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $45 in Gan, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Gan $45

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $73 in Gan, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Gan $73

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $101 in Gan, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Gan $101

Medellin costs about 3563% more than Gan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Gan is 97% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$5.60 MVR 86.3

44.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

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

$170 COP 547.8K

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

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 273.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$547 MVR 8,442

248.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Gan

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Gan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Gan

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Gan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Gan

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Gan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Gan

–

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇲🇻 Gan

🕒 Local time

23:03 11:03 PM

09:03 9:03 AM

10 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MVR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.22 MVR (100 MVR = 5.81 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Medellin Gan 16,470 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

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Medellin
Gan

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 Gan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 3563%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $67 in Gan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gan, where all-in costs run around $45, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Gan 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 $45 in Gan to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.