Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kone Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $460 in Kone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $684 in Kone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $908 in Kone.

Living in Medellin is roughly 124% more expensive than in Kone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kone 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$54.2 CFPF 5,645

-39.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.51 CFPF 158

-39.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$18.08 CFPF 1,883

-87.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$14.97 CFPF 1,559

-17.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$174 CFPF 18.2K

-53.63%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$97.9 CFPF 10.2K

-75.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$57.3 CFPF 5,963

-56.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$114 CFPF 11.9K

-49.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$72.6 CFPF 7,556

38.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$571 CFPF 59.5K

-16.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,565 CFPF 163.0K

-46.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,908 CFPF 302.9K

-78.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kone: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $571 in Kone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 372% 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 $54.0 in Kone. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $48.00, with Kone 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 Kone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kone wins on cost – living expenses run 124% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 372% lower in Kone. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $571 in Kone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $460 in Kone – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 301% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $460 in Kone versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kone but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $460 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kone hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kone 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 Kone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.