Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gimcheon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gimcheon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,286 in Gimcheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,736 in Gimcheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,186 in Gimcheon, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Gimcheon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Gimcheon is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$6.11 ₩8,194

31.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$34.79 ₩46.7K

38.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.55 ₩8,786

43.82%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.58 ₩4,804

-17.88%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.59 ₩2,134

16.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.57 ₩766

156.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.44 ₩4,617

-6.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.36 ₩5,843

30.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.19 ₩2,934

-34.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.15 ₩4,218

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.33 ₩3,124

-27.04%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.27 ₩4,380

-11.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$15.81 ₩21.2K

-36.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$7.99 ₩10.7K

24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$11.25 ₩15.1K

26.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$7.60 ₩10.2K

-47.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$3.19 ₩4,278

-50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$7.34 ₩9,837

-70.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$6.82 ₩9,142

-66.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.45 ₩4,622

-42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.45 ₩3,285

-38.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.09 ₩2,807

-42.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.46 ₩1,965

-12.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.43 ₩4,598

11.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$18.44 ₩24.7K

-24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.24 ₩3,008

-23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.02 ₩1,374

22.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.95 ₩3,957

-55.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.61 ₩812

255.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.10 ₩1,469

23.64%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$29.7K ₩39.9M

-7.56%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$35.7K ₩47.8M

2.45%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$209 ₩280.9K

-19.44%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$43.63 ₩58.5K

-68.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$20.74 ₩27.8K

36.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$70.8 ₩94.9K

-35.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$11.24 ₩15.1K

-40.84%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$295 ₩395.1K

172.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$17.8K ₩23.9M

-48.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$64.0 ₩85.8K

36.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$64.4 ₩86.4K

-7.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$75.1 ₩100.7K

84.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$101 ₩135.6K

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$297 ₩397.6K

261.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$241 ₩323.7K

170.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,872 ₩2.5M

-65.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.1

166.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Gimcheon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $297 in Gimcheon. 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 186% higher in Gimcheon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Gimcheon. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $407 in Gimcheon – so Medellin 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 Gimcheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,929 in Gimcheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,286 in Gimcheon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $295 in Gimcheon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gimcheon, where all-in costs run around $1,286, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Gimcheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gimcheon – 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 Gimcheon. 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.