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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $4,601 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $6,910 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $9,219 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 23% below, George Town is 244% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$30.48 KYD 25.39

-80.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$144 KYD 120

-77.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$15.94 KYD 13.28

-54.83%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$6.76 KYD 5.63

-74.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$3.47 KYD 2.89

-68.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$2.72 KYD 2.26

-73.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$9.24 KYD 7.70

-81.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$8.30 KYD 6.92

-62.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$2.99 KYD 2.49

-64.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$5.50 KYD 4.58

-77.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$5.73 KYD 4.77

-75.74%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$9.69 KYD 8.07

-76.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$11.88 KYD 9.90

-63.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$15.85 KYD 13.20

-63.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$16.72 KYD 13.93

-47.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$10.44 KYD 8.70

-78.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$4.64 KYD 3.87

-76.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$7.72 KYD 6.43

-80.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$7.85 KYD 6.54

-82.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$5.19 KYD 4.32

-78.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$5.71 KYD 4.75

-80.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$6.23 KYD 5.19

-86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$2.92 KYD 2.44

-68.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$14.51 KYD 12.09

-83.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$25.57 KYD 21.30

-56.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$3.90 KYD 3.25

-69.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$5.20 KYD 4.33

-54.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$2.39 KYD 1.99

-66.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$30.22 KYD 25.17

36.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$18.02 KYD 15.01

-92.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$4.88 KYD 4.06

-60.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$60.1 KYD 50.0

-86.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.70 KYD 1.42

-44.71%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$39.4K KYD 32.8K

-54.54%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$34.0K KYD 28.3K

-21.17%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$388 KYD 323

-78.36%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$97.7 KYD 81.4

-90.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$111 KYD 92.2

-78.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$107 KYD 88.9

-75.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$40.78 KYD 33.97

-53.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$18.19 KYD 15.16

-78.45%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$1,739 KYD 1,449

-82.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$24.6K KYD 20.5K

-75.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$91.0 KYD 75.8

-36.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$70.5 KYD 58.7

-54.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$148 KYD 123

-32.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$147 KYD 122

-26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$2,864 KYD 2,386

-83.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$2,492 KYD 2,076

-85.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$5,639 KYD 4,697

-85.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$4,569 KYD 3,806

-84.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$8,684 KYD 7,234

-66.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$2,231 KYD 1,859

-36.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$7,838 KYD 6,529

-93.04%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for George Town: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $2,864 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1337% 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 $144 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 345% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $4,601 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, George Town earns 1337% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $2,864 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $4,601 in George Town – a 345% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 36% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $4,601 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 345% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.