Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Giza Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Giza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $455 in Giza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $724 in Giza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $993 in Giza.

Living in Medellin is roughly 270% more expensive than in Giza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Giza is 67% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Giza
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02 COP 25.0K
$4.07 E£212
97.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87 COP 149.4K
$14.37 E£749
233.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 COP 30.8K
$4.90 E£255
101.84%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 9,767
$1.20 E£62.6
160.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 COP 5,954
$0.38 E£20.05
402.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 COP 4,712
$0.12 E£6.45
1158.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 COP 9,747
$1.47 E£76.9
112.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 17.9K
$2.87 E£149
100.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Giza
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 COP 4,509
$0.87 E£45.47
65.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 COP 7,759
$0.38 E£19.58
555.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,535
$0.67 E£34.97
164.18%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,235
$1.45 E£75.6
104.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 COP 31.4K
$2.51 E£131
301.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.12 COP 31.6K
$3.82 E£199
164.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.30 COP 44.6K
$8.28 E£432
72.71%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 COP 12.9K
$1.52 E£79.2
172.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 COP 5,019
$0.59 E£30.69
172.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,007
$0.43 E£22.46
423.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,028
$0.35 E£18.33
542.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 COP 6,375
$0.44 E£23.11
363.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 COP 4,790
$0.46 E£23.95
234.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,651
$0.23 E£11.96
408.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 COP 4,077
$0.19 E£9.82
589.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.2K
$1.99 E£104
95.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 COP 43.7K
$4.70 E£245
198.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 COP 5,439
$1.38 E£72.0
26.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 COP 8,956
$1.66 E£86.5
72.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Giza
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 COP 3,792
$0.32 E£16.80
281.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.5 COP 251.1K
$8.58 E£447
838.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 COP 4,084
$0.42 E£21.74
211.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 COP 6,825
$0.37 E£19.14
491.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.71 COP 27.2K
$1.95 E£102
346.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 COP 4,260
$0.43 E£22.26
218.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K COP 86.9M
$33.0K E£1.7M
-15.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K COP 111.6M
$28.3K E£1.5M
26.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Giza
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 COP 553.2K
$17.01 E£887
942.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88 COP 43.3K
$7.28 E£379
90.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72 COP 92.8K
$19.52 E£1,018
52.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Giza
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.88 COP 140.1K
$22.19 E£1,157
102.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12 COP 53.4K
$7.08 E£369
141.81%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 COP 20.7K
$4.33 E£226
53.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Giza
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$813 COP 2.5M
$93.5 E£4,875
769.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,187 COP 28.7M
$2,498 E£130.3K
267.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Giza
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 COP 279.3K
$16.93 E£883
428.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0 COP 184.0K
$61.3 E£3,194
-3.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 431.2K
$83.6 E£4,358
65.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 COP 318.7K
$49.84 E£2,599
104.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Giza
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 COP 3.3M
$140 E£7,290
659.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 COP 2.1M
$89.3 E£4,657
642.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,888 COP 5.9M
$368 E£19.2K
413.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,027 COP 3.2M
$157 E£8,197
553.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,183 COP 13.1M
$792 E£41.3K
428.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,675 COP 5.2M
$1,216 E£63.4K
37.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Giza
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$678 COP 2.1M
$127 E£6,648
431.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
20
-45.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Giza: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $140 in Giza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 432% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Giza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $112 per month, with Giza 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 Giza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Giza cheaper than Medellin?
Giza is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 270% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Giza?
Average pay runs 432% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Giza?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $140 in Giza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Giza runs roughly 838% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $93.5 in Giza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Giza?
At $455 in Giza versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Giza but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Giza the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Giza more family-friendly?
For families, Giza 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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Giza?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Giza are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Giza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 270% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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