Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gizo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gizo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,057 in Gizo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,946 in Gizo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $3,834 in Gizo.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 51% less than in Gizo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Gizo is 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.07 SBD 24.77

92.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$53.8 SBD 435

-38.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$14.73 SBD 119

-49.56%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.63 SBD 21.24

-37.26%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.18 SBD 9.52

-6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.23 SBD 9.94

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.39 SBD 19.29

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.37 SBD 19.16

34.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$3.16 SBD 25.56

-65.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.35 SBD 10.89

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.39 SBD 11.23

-0.72%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$6.63 SBD 53.5

-67.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.53 SBD 68.9

-47.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.14 SBD 49.62

-5.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.27 SBD 66.8

8.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$6.78 SBD 54.8

-65.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$6.14 SBD 49.57

-82.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$6.15 SBD 49.69

-75.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$3.07 SBD 24.77

-55.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.96 SBD 23.93

-61.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.33 SBD 18.83

-49.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.43 SBD 19.60

-62.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.29 SBD 10.44

-30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.31 SBD 34.83

-48.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.34 SBD 99.7

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.82 SBD 14.72

-34.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.19 SBD 17.71

13.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.37 SBD 3.00

129.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$29.81 SBD 241

39.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.17 SBD 9.44

21.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.30 SBD 18.57

-15.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$11.88 SBD 96.0

-33.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.76 SBD 14.19

-43.75%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.2K SBD 162.9K

-12.69%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.9K SBD 169.2K

27.93%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$712 SBD 5,749

-88.33%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.17 SBD 106

-26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$122 SBD 984

-80.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$18.13 SBD 146

39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.84 SBD 47.21

227.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.16 SBD 33.64

-5.05%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$121 SBD 980

160.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,196 SBD 9,662

399.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$24.52 SBD 198

144.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$91.0 SBD 735

-65.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$95.1 SBD 768

6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$84.9 SBD 686

26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$582 SBD 4,702

-18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$578 SBD 4,673

-35.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$601 SBD 4,854

41.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,193 SBD 9,637

-39.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$87.7K SBD 708.3K

-96.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$391 SBD 3,162

59.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.33

-17.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gizo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $582 in Gizo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Gizo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $346 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 Gizo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 105% lower than in Gizo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 60% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $582 in Gizo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Gizo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $54.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,057 in Gizo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Gizo. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Gizo 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 105% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.