Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gyeongju Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gyeongju

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,195 in Gyeongju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,991 in Gyeongju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,787 in Gyeongju, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Gyeongju, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Gyeongju is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$7.64 ₩10.6K

4.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$49.07 ₩68.0K

-2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$6.80 ₩9,422

45.44%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.89 ₩4,001

8.30%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.14 ₩1,578

67.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.38 ₩529

297.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.57 ₩3,566

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$4.32 ₩5,983

33.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.35 ₩3,258

-38.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$2.43 ₩3,369

2.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$3.02 ₩4,189

-41.39%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.70 ₩3,748

9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$10.84 ₩15.0K

-7.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$10.60 ₩14.7K

-4.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$18.45 ₩25.6K

-22.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$4.49 ₩6,221

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.63 ₩3,644

-38.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$3.79 ₩5,252

-40.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$3.64 ₩5,039

-38.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$2.61 ₩3,619

-21.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.27 ₩3,146

-32.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$2.26 ₩3,136

-48.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.29 ₩1,785

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$3.26 ₩4,513

19.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$14.81 ₩20.5K

-5.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.14 ₩1,581

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.26 ₩3,128

26.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.06 ₩1,470

15.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$2.99 ₩4,148

-56.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.77 ₩1,069

184.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$16.70 ₩23.1K

-47.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.07 ₩1,483

28.04%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$28.8K ₩39.9M

-3.26%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$34.0K ₩47.1M

5.36%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$78.9 ₩109.3K

124.74%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$36.70 ₩50.9K

-62.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$27.21 ₩37.7K

9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$56.8 ₩78.8K

-21.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$11.79 ₩16.3K

45.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$11.21 ₩15.5K

-40.68%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$622 ₩862.7K

30.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$21.6K ₩30.0M

-57.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$44.03 ₩61.0K

103.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$22.74 ₩31.5K

159.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$93.1 ₩129.0K

48.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$124 ₩171.7K

-17.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$455 ₩630.3K

133.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$350 ₩485.4K

89.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,155 ₩1.6M

63.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$720 ₩998.6K

42.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$6,970 ₩9.7M

-39.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$5,512 ₩7.6M

-69.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$1,837 ₩2.5M

-63.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.22

159.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gyeongju: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $455 in Gyeongju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 171% higher in Gyeongju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Gyeongju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $360 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gyeongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,793 in Gyeongju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gyeongju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,195 in Gyeongju. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $622 in Gyeongju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gyeongju, where all-in costs run around $1,195, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Gyeongju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gyeongju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gyeongju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.