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: $1,555 in Medellin versus $454 in Kone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Medellin versus $671 in Kone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Medellin versus $888 in Kone.

Living in Medellin is roughly 243% more expensive than in Kone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 15% above, Kone is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 145.7K

$52.4 CFPF 5,539

-14.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.1K

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,591

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

$1.80 COP 5,861

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,391

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,544

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,663

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,785

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,209

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,364

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.1K

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.2K

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,703

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,829

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,930

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,259

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,984

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,549

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,843

$1.49 CFPF 158

-20.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.3K

$17.61 CFPF 1,862

-78.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.8K

$15.40 CFPF 1,629

-14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,337

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,410

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,825

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,157

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,434

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,211

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

$26.8K COP 87.2M

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

$34.7K COP 112.9M

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

$158 COP 513.6K

$171 CFPF 18.1K

-7.75%

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

$13.39 COP 43.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 88.8K

$95.3 CFPF 10.1K

-71.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 143.7K

$56.6 CFPF 5,988

-22.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

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

$777 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.2K

$114 CFPF 12.1K

-27.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 182.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 425.7K

$72.3 CFPF 7,643

81.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

$565 CFPF 59.8K

77.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.9M

$1,516 CFPF 160.3K

20.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$2,921 CFPF 308.9K

-78.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Kone: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Medellin and $565 in Kone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 371% 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 $52.0 in Kone. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $49.00, 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 243% 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 371% 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: $1,006 in Medellin versus $565 in Kone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,555 per month in Medellin versus $454 in Kone – a 243% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 485% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $454 in Kone versus $1,555 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 $454 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 243% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.