Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gizo

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,169 in Gizo, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Gizo, Solomon Islands
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Gizo
🇸🇧 Solomon Islands
$2,169
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Gizo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Gizo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,169 in Gizo.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Gizo $2,169

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $3,078 in Gizo.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Gizo $3,078

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $3,987 in Gizo.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Gizo $3,987

Living in Medellin costs roughly 24% less than in Gizo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Gizo 59% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$3.16 SBD 25.48
156.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$55.9 SBD 451
-15.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$15.52 SBD 125
-38.79%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$2.75 SBD 22.12
9.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$1.27 SBD 10.26
41.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$1.22 SBD 9.81
15.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$2.43 SBD 19.58
30.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$2.46 SBD 19.83
133.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$3.21 SBD 25.83
-52.96%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$1.40 SBD 11.25
70.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$1.45 SBD 11.68
22.07%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$7.03 SBD 56.6
-58.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$8.92 SBD 71.9
14.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$6.27 SBD 50.5
57.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$8.54 SBD 68.8
63.82%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$6.68 SBD 53.8
-40.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$6.09 SBD 49.07
-74.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$6.08 SBD 48.95
-64.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$3.14 SBD 25.29
-30.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$3.06 SBD 24.64
-35.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$2.43 SBD 19.59
-34.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$2.53 SBD 20.38
-54.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$1.38 SBD 11.08
-10.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$4.24 SBD 34.14
-6.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$12.30 SBD 99.1
11.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$1.83 SBD 14.77
-9.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$2.25 SBD 18.10
0.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$0.39 SBD 3.11
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$30.48 SBD 246
153.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$1.26 SBD 10.15
0.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$2.55 SBD 20.52
-19.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$12.61 SBD 102
-32.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.76 SBD 14.19
-23.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$20.8K SBD 167.7K
63.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$21.8K SBD 175.5K
59.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$749 SBD 6,033
-77.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$13.86 SBD 112
-2.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$125 SBD 1,011
-77.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$18.34 SBD 148
138.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$6.30 SBD 50.7
172.86%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$4.36 SBD 35.10
58.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$125 SBD 1,010
535.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$1,246 SBD 10.0K
631.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$25.56 SBD 206
231.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$94.2 SBD 759
-38.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$101 SBD 814
33.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$87.8 SBD 707
11.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$593 SBD 4,776
103.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$584 SBD 4,708
9.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$623 SBD 5,015
225.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,261 SBD 10.2K
-19.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$85.7K SBD 690.0K
-95.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Gizo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$401 SBD 3,234
63.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
16.33
-33.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gizo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Gizo
$584 8.9% $57
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Gizo
$353 18.7% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Gizo
$888 320% $677
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Gizo
$132 22.3% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Gizo
$139 17.8% $30
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Gizo
$46 50.8% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Gizo
$27 53% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $593 in Gizo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $56 in Gizo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $353 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇸🇧 Gizo
🕒 Local time
04:47 4:47 AM
20:47 8:47 PM
16 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
7,177
Exchange rates and currency converter

SBD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Solomon Islands Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 8.06 SBD (1 SBD = 0.124 USD). 1 EUR = 8.99 SBD (1 SBD = 0.111 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Gizo 14,240 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Gizo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Gizo?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 24% 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.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or in Gizo?
Average pay runs 64% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Gizo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $593 in Gizo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Gizo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Gizo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin and in Gizo?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $47 versus $56 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Gizo?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Medellin gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Gizo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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