Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $4,572 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $6,899 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $9,225 in George Town.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 78% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, George Town is 240% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$30.60 KYD 25.09

-80.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$146 KYD 120

-77.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$15.70 KYD 12.88

-53.95%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$6.91 KYD 5.67

-76.41%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$3.47 KYD 2.85

-68.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.68 KYD 2.20

-72.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$8.84 KYD 7.25

-80.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$8.46 KYD 6.93

-61.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.98 KYD 2.45

-64.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$5.37 KYD 4.40

-75.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$5.89 KYD 4.83

-77.59%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$10.24 KYD 8.39

-77.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.63 KYD 9.54

-62.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$16.03 KYD 13.14

-63.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$16.62 KYD 13.63

-48.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$10.55 KYD 8.65

-78.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$4.64 KYD 3.80

-76.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$7.71 KYD 6.33

-80.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$7.41 KYD 6.08

-80.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$5.43 KYD 4.45

-78.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$5.52 KYD 4.53

-78.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$6.30 KYD 5.16

-85.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$2.95 KYD 2.42

-69.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$14.35 KYD 11.77

-84.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$25.08 KYD 20.56

-55.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.95 KYD 3.24

-71.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$5.38 KYD 4.41

-55.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$2.37 KYD 1.95

-64.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$29.94 KYD 24.55

40.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$17.78 KYD 14.58

-92.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$4.98 KYD 4.08

-61.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$59.3 KYD 48.63

-86.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.70 KYD 1.39

-40.59%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$39.6K KYD 32.4K

-55.57%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.3K KYD 28.1K

-22.81%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$396 KYD 324

-78.85%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$97.9 KYD 80.3

-90.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$110 KYD 89.9

-78.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$104 KYD 85.4

-75.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$40.51 KYD 33.22

-52.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$17.92 KYD 14.70

-77.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$1,764 KYD 1,446

-82.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$24.3K KYD 20.0K

-75.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$91.1 KYD 74.7

-36.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$72.0 KYD 59.0

-54.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$151 KYD 124

-34.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$145 KYD 119

-24.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$2,836 KYD 2,326

-83.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$2,446 KYD 2,006

-84.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$5,518 KYD 4,525

-84.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$4,692 KYD 3,847

-84.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$8,643 KYD 7,088

-67.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,296 KYD 1,883

-46.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$7,728 KYD 6,337

-93.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.25

62.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $2,836 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1329% 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 $146 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $630 per month, with Medellin 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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and George Town differ by about 350% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $4,572 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, George Town earns 1329% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $2,836 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $4,572 in George Town – a 350% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 40% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $4,572 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and George Town are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 350% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.