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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,098 in Gizo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,983 in Gizo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $3,868 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 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.05 SBD 24.13

94.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$54.9 SBD 435

-40.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$15.02 SBD 119

-52.06%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.77 SBD 21.98

-38.63%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.17 SBD 9.26

-5.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.18 SBD 9.37

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.42 SBD 19.16

-30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.35 SBD 18.61

31.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$3.04 SBD 24.11

-65.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.30 SBD 10.29

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.36 SBD 10.80

2.21%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$6.80 SBD 53.9

-66.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.17 SBD 64.7

-47.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.95 SBD 47.14

-1.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.46 SBD 67.0

4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$6.78 SBD 53.7

-66.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$6.09 SBD 48.24

-82.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$6.04 SBD 47.86

-74.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$3.07 SBD 24.32

-55.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.91 SBD 23.06

-61.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.45 SBD 19.41

-54.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.44 SBD 19.34

-65.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.29 SBD 10.26

-29.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.08 SBD 32.29

-42.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.37 SBD 98.0

-10.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.85 SBD 14.63

-35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.15 SBD 17.01

10.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.38 SBD 2.99

107.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$30.38 SBD 241

35.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.19 SBD 9.39

21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.31 SBD 18.30

-17.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$11.75 SBD 93.0

-31.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.71 SBD 13.54

-45.03%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.3K SBD 161.1K

-11.88%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.4K SBD 169.4K

25.28%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$711 SBD 5,630

-88.19%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$12.98 SBD 103

-26.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$122 SBD 967

-80.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$18.05 SBD 143

43.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.02 SBD 47.70

216.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.08 SBD 32.29

-3.92%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$120 SBD 953

154.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,200 SBD 9,505

393.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$24.40 SBD 193

137.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$89.7 SBD 711

-64.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$97.2 SBD 770

2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$84.6 SBD 670

26.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$582 SBD 4,609

-16.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$560 SBD 4,435

-34.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$598 SBD 4,738

38.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,222 SBD 9,675

-41.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$88.6K SBD 701.9K

-96.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$395 SBD 3,127

38.15%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gizo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $582 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 $55.0 in Gizo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $343 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 103% 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: $487 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 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 $55.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,098 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 $1,034 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 103% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.