Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gence Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gence

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $788 in Gence, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,286 in Gence, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,783 in Gence, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Gence, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Gence are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Gence 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$5.05 ₼8.58

18.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$38.99 ₼66.3

-15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$5.84 ₼9.93

27.05%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.75 ₼4.68

-40.00%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.07 ₼1.82

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.56 ₼0.96

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.35 ₼2.30

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.62 ₼4.46

22.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.77 ₼3.02

-40.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.41 ₼0.70

219.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.68 ₼2.85

-20.24%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.13 ₼3.62

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$2.96 ₼5.03

48.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.51 ₼5.97

62.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.64 ₼12.98

11.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.21 ₼2.06

93.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.51 ₼2.57

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.42 ₼4.11

-37.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.30 ₼2.21

5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.69 ₼1.18

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.55 ₼0.94

114.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.57 ₼0.96

47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.42 ₼0.72

104.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$3.78 ₼6.42

-40.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$1.42 ₼2.42

716.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.31 ₼2.22

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.75 ₼2.97

41.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.28 ₼0.47

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$14.69 ₼24.96

177.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.81 ₼3.07

-18.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.42 ₼4.11

221.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.80 ₼1.37

26.25%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$20.7K ₼35.1K

-14.60%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$22.1K ₼37.5K

19.82%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$59.8 ₼102

35.71%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$14.98 ₼25.47

-37.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$19.00 ₼32.30

25.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$20.63 ₼35.06

25.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$23.74 ₼40.35

-21.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.87 ₼9.97

-30.32%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$240 ₼407

31.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$5,830 ₼9,908

3.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$87.4 ₼148

-31.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$71.8 ₼122

-55.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$150 ₼254

-32.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$176 ₼299

-40.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$347 ₼590

39.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$173 ₼294

110.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$595 ₼1,012

38.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$350 ₼594

108.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$839 ₼1,426

256.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$469 ₼797

180.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$297 ₼505

85.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Gence: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $347 in Gence. 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 85% higher in Medellin, 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 $39.00 in Gence. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $141 in Gence – so Gence wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Gence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,183 in Gence. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $240 in Gence. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gence, where all-in costs run around $788, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Gence it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gence. 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.