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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $467 in Kone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $688 in Kone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $910 in Kone.

Living in Medellin is roughly 117% more expensive than Kone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kone 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$53.6 CFPF 5,498

-38.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.46 CFPF 149

-42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$17.71 CFPF 1,815

-87.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.72 CFPF 1,611

-32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$171 CFPF 17.6K

-52.00%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$95.7 CFPF 9,812

-74.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$57.8 CFPF 5,924

-55.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$116 CFPF 11.9K

-49.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$72.0 CFPF 7,380

42.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$590 CFPF 60.5K

-19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,539 CFPF 157.7K

-45.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,998 CFPF 307.2K

-82.93%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kone: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $590 in Kone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 486% 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 $188 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 117% 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, Kone earns 486% less. 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: $476 in Medellin versus $590 in Kone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $467 in Kone – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 285% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $467 in Kone versus $1,013 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 $467 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 117% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.