Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Garowe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Garowe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $527 in Garowe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $765 in Garowe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,004 in Garowe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 90% more expensive than in Garowe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Garowe 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.01 SOS 1,142

194.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$9.24 SOS 5,239

256.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.05 SOS 1,728

143.61%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.23 SOS 1,267

-26.01%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.53 SOS 867

-28.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.21 SOS 119

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$14.66 SOS 8,314

-88.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.99 SOS 561

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.39 SOS 220

223.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.87 SOS 491

58.62%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.44 SOS 1,383

-10.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.95 SOS 1,675

96.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.04 SOS 2,292

122.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.98 SOS 1,123

17.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.49 SOS 842

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.21 SOS 687

25.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.93 SOS 529

46.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.72 SOS 408

56.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.67 SOS 383

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.83 SOS 470

8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.99 SOS 559

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$0.98 SOS 555

127.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.31 SOS 177

174.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.48 SOS 841

-4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.90 SOS 2,780

61.02%

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

$122 SOS 69.3K

-32.10%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.91 SOS 5,619

-2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$50.3 SOS 28.5K

-53.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$19.74 SOS 11.2K

27.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$34.63 SOS 19.6K

811.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$19.77 SOS 11.2K

203.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.52 SOS 17.3K

4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$14.98 SOS 8,492

578.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$91.2 SOS 51.7K

420.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$58.9 SOS 33.4K

535.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$352 SOS 199.8K

140.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$178 SOS 101.2K

303.28%

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

$402 SOS 227.7K

55.48%

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 Garowe: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $91.2 in Garowe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $9.00 in Garowe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $101 per month, with Garowe cheaper across the board.

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 Garowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Garowe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $91.2 in Garowe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $34.63 in Garowe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Garowe – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $527 in Garowe versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Garowe but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Garowe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Garowe is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Garowe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.