Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Grahamstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Grahamstown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,132 in Grahamstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,766 in Grahamstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $2,401 in Grahamstown.

Living in Medellin is roughly 49% more expensive than in Grahamstown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Grahamstown is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$9.22 R 149

-14.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$43.66 R 703

1.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.88 R 94.7

57.99%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.14 R 34.54

35.51%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.04 R 16.70

74.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.74 R 11.89

109.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.83 R 45.55

14.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.15 R 50.7

86.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.21 R 19.42

14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.08 R 17.39

126.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.54 R 24.75

-1.95%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.78 R 44.71

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.94 R 144

1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$5.47 R 88.0

94.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$8.60 R 139

70.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.25 R 36.28

76.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.53 R 24.59

-9.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.69 R 27.16

36.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.76 R 28.29

14.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.69 R 27.24

23.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.45 R 23.37

12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.27 R 20.53

-14.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.06 R 17.06

17.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.29 R 53.0

22.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$4.85 R 78.1

177.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.25 R 20.06

28.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.87 R 30.12

60.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.51 R 24.39

-21.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.60 R 9.62

168.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.50 R 8.06

326.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$8.53 R 137

-0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.40 R 22.56

-3.57%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$36.8K R 592.1K

-22.94%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$34.4K R 554.7K

3.64%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$125 R 2,017

20.91%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$34.98 R 563

-62.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$46.38 R 747

-30.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$32.24 R 519

43.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$11.01 R 177

-41.60%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$179 R 2,880

366.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,052 R 81.4K

75.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$73.4 R 1,182

21.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$41.63 R 671

32.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$114 R 1,839

19.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$100 R 1,614

9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$396 R 6,375

140.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$369 R 5,945

80.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$752 R 12.1K

168.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$762 R 12.3K

50.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$890 R 14.3K

315.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$650 R 10.5K

144.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,195 R 19.3K

-47.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

11.94

-12.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Grahamstown: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $396 in Grahamstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grahamstown pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Grahamstown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $201 per month, with Grahamstown 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 Grahamstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grahamstown wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Grahamstown the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Grahamstown. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $952 in Medellin versus $396 in Grahamstown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $1,132 in Grahamstown – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,132 in Grahamstown versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Grahamstown but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Grahamstown the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Grahamstown delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,132 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Grahamstown hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Grahamstown 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 Grahamstown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.