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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $2,081 in Gizo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $2,937 in Gizo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $3,792 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 23% below, Gizo is 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.04 SBD 24.46

97.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$53.3 SBD 430

-38.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$14.90 SBD 120

-50.20%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.67 SBD 21.48

-38.20%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.22 SBD 9.84

-12.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.18 SBD 9.51

-35.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.34 SBD 18.89

-26.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.42 SBD 19.46

32.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$3.18 SBD 25.59

-66.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.33 SBD 10.74

-1.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.36 SBD 10.92

-1.47%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$6.79 SBD 54.7

-67.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.40 SBD 67.7

-47.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.06 SBD 48.85

-6.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$8.19 SBD 66.0

4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$6.72 SBD 54.2

-65.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$5.93 SBD 47.83

-81.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$5.89 SBD 47.49

-74.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$3.06 SBD 24.68

-55.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.97 SBD 23.91

-61.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.38 SBD 19.19

-50.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.47 SBD 19.88

-65.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.34 SBD 10.79

-35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.10 SBD 33.08

-44.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.53 SBD 101

-7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.82 SBD 14.64

-34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.20 SBD 17.74

12.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.37 SBD 2.99

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$30.13 SBD 243

35.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.18 SBD 9.47

24.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$2.33 SBD 18.74

-17.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$11.88 SBD 95.7

-34.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.71 SBD 13.74

-40.94%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$20.1K SBD 162.3K

-12.31%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.7K SBD 166.8K

27.84%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$718 SBD 5,783

-88.70%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$13.01 SBD 105

-27.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$120 SBD 966

-80.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$18.19 SBD 147

42.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$5.83 SBD 46.96

220.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$4.24 SBD 34.20

-3.54%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$121 SBD 975

160.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$1,180 SBD 9,506

410.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$24.64 SBD 199

142.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$90.0 SBD 726

-64.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$96.6 SBD 778

4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$84.7 SBD 682

24.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$588 SBD 4,738

-17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$573 SBD 4,615

-36.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$590 SBD 4,759

40.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,200 SBD 9,673

-39.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$88.0K SBD 708.9K

-96.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$399 SBD 3,214

38.12%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Gizo: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $588 in Gizo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 38% 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 $53.0 in Gizo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $344 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 102% 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.

Medellin pays 38% more on average, 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: $485 in Medellin versus $588 in Gizo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% 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 $53.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $2,081 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 $1,028 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 102% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.