Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kourou

For one person, living is cheaper in Kourou: $174 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Kourou, French Guiana
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Kourou
🇬🇫 French Guiana
$174
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kourou

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kourou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $174 in Kourou.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Kourou $174

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $303 in Kourou.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Kourou $303

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $432 in Kourou.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Kourou $432

Living in Medellin is roughly 874% more expensive than in Kourou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Kourou is 87% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,728
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,620
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,971
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,431
$2.00 €1.78
14.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,308
-
-
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,945
$6.61 €5.90
-53.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$4.32 €3.85
-6.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,957
$2.27 €2.02
-32.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,825
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,439
$7.77 €6.93
-70.53%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,841
$2.43 €2.17
-13.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,543
$6.90 €6.15
-75.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,795
$2.22 €1.98
-47.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,125
$1.94 €1.73
-18.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.6K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,714
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,796
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,826
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,860
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,906
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,136
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.4K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 280.0K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.7K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.5K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,422 €1,268
-5.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kourou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kourou: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Kourou
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Kourou
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Kourou
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Kourou
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Kourou
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Kourou
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Kourou
–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $1,422 in Kourou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇬🇫 Kourou
🕒 Local time
20:48 8:48 PM
22:48 10:48 PM
2 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
24,903
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,627 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Kourou 2,540 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Kourou

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kourou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Kourou?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $174 in Kourou, so Kourou is about 90% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Kourou?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $261 in Kourou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Kourou?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,422 in Kourou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Kourou?
All in, you’ll spend $1,692 per month in Medellin versus $174 in Kourou – Kourou is about 90% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $174 in Kourou versus $1,692 in Medellin, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Kourou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kourou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Kourou?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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