Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gyeonggi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gyeonggi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,088 in Gyeonggi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,066 in Gyeonggi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $3,044 in Gyeonggi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 55% more expensive than in Gyeonggi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Gyeonggi is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$7.37 ₩10.2K

8.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$59.6 ₩82.1K

-19.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.29 ₩8,674

57.23%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.91 ₩5,383

-19.95%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.22 ₩1,676

56.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.72 ₩991

109.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.26 ₩4,493

-4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.00 ₩4,128

91.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.73 ₩2,389

-16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$11.21 ₩15.4K

-63.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.60 ₩4,967

-55.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$7.35 ₩10.1K

-69.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.05 ₩4,200

-57.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.61 ₩840

259.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.40 ₩1,927

-2.14%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$185 ₩254.6K

-4.03%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$40.38 ₩55.6K

-65.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$21.44 ₩29.5K

38.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$56.4 ₩77.7K

-20.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$9.98 ₩13.8K

-33.37%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$59.5 ₩82.1K

50.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$41.29 ₩56.9K

42.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$85.0 ₩117.2K

62.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$512 ₩704.9K

107.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$376 ₩517.7K

76.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,119 ₩2.9M

-10.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,495 ₩2.1M

-31.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,227 ₩3.1M

-69.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.5

212.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gyeonggi: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $512 in Gyeonggi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gyeonggi pays 229% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $60.0 in Gyeonggi. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $124, with Gyeonggi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Gyeonggi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gyeonggi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 229% lower in Gyeonggi. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $512 in Gyeonggi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 145% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gyeonggi – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,088 in Gyeonggi versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gyeonggi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gyeonggi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gyeonggi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Gyeonggi 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 Gyeonggi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.