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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,158 in George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,912 in George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,666 in George.

Living in Medellin is roughly 45% more expensive than in George, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, George is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$11.06 R 181

-27.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$43.60 R 714

9.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.11 R 83.7

93.54%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.19 R 35.84

42.92%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.04 R 17.09

83.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.77 R 12.53

96.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.84 R 46.51

9.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.33 R 54.5

72.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.16 R 18.92

24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.09 R 17.86

128.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.51 R 24.73

17.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.77 R 45.31

6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.72 R 143

15.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.63 R 92.3

79.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.71 R 110

113.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.68 R 27.60

146.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.58 R 25.87

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.58 R 25.91

42.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.66 R 27.21

35.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.69 R 27.67

20.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.48 R 24.26

4.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.35 R 22.09

-13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.03 R 16.83

27.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.26 R 53.4

19.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$4.93 R 80.8

184.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.32 R 21.62

31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.80 R 29.49

59.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.52 R 24.96

-19.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$28.53 R 467

182.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.66 R 10.82

98.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.52 R 8.45

321.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$8.79 R 144

-0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.27 R 20.86

7.87%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$31.2K R 510.2K

-10.65%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$29.7K R 485.9K

20.57%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$125 R 2,050

41.64%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$18.37 R 301

-24.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$46.20 R 757

-35.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$31.19 R 511

43.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$12.56 R 206

36.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.12 R 100

8.66%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$143 R 2,337

469.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,417 R 88.7K

69.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$73.9 R 1,210

21.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$39.03 R 639

51.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$113 R 1,850

22.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$88.8 R 1,454

15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$442 R 7,236

140.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$377 R 6,180

75.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$802 R 13.1K

135.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$949 R 15.5K

8.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$889 R 14.6K

370.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$685 R 11.2K

144.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,387 R 22.7K

-51.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.92

0.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for George: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $442 in George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 105% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $192 per month, with George 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 105% lower in George. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $442 in George. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,158 in George – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,158 in George versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and George 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 George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.