Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lambeth

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,484 in Lambeth, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Lambeth
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,484
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Lambeth

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 Lambeth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,484 in Lambeth.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Lambeth $2,484

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,402 in Medellin versus $3,591 in Lambeth.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Lambeth $3,591

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,190 in Medellin versus $4,699 in Lambeth.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Lambeth $4,699

Living in Medellin costs roughly 35% less than in Lambeth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Lambeth 84% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$23.35 £17.52
-66.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$80.5 £60.4
-42.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$13.42 £10.07
-29.21%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$4.86 £3.65
-36.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$2.61 £1.95
-29.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$2.46 £1.84
-43.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$6.57 £4.93
-53.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$6.00 £4.50
-8.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$1.66 £1.25
-12.65%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$1.89 £1.42
24.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$2.14 £1.61
-21.50%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$4.34 £3.25
-34.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$9.05 £6.79
12.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$10.21 £7.66
-6.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$20.05 £15.04
-29.98%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$4.28 £3.21
-4.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.44 £1.08
4.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$1.94 £1.46
11.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$3.43 £2.57
-32.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$1.58 £1.19
22.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$1.83 £1.37
-10.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$1.53 £1.15
-26.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$1.41 £1.06
-11.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$23.91 £17.93
-83.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$11.31 £8.48
18.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$3.05 £2.29
-44.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$2.91 £2.19
-18.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$3.49 £2.62
-65.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$97.6 £73.2
-21.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$4.86 £3.64
-72.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$2.05 £1.54
4.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$25.89 £19.42
-67.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$2.09 £1.57
-37.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$38.3K £28.7K
-26.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$39.9K £29.9K
-11.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$375 £281
-54.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$24.15 £18.12
-44.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$49.53 £37.16
-41.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$45.93 £34.46
-1.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$18.15 £13.62
-65.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$1,331 £998
-42.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$21.9K £16.5K
-58.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$67.1 £50.3
28.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$46.83 £35.13
21.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$73.8 £55.3
85.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$79.9 £60.0
22.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$1,214 £911
-13.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$1,025 £769
-39.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$2,068 £1,552
-8.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$1,655 £1,242
-38.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$4,989 £3,743
-18.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$3,894 £2,921
-56.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Lambeth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.54
97.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lambeth: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Lambeth
$1K 66.5% $409
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Lambeth
$330 12% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Lambeth
$449 110% $235
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Lambeth
$120 29.2% $50
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Lambeth
$351 108% $182
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Lambeth
$127 35.7% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Lambeth
$82 42.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Medellin and $1,214 in Lambeth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Medellin vs $80.0 in Lambeth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $330 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇬🇧 Lambeth
🕒 Local time
10:36 10:36 AM
16:36 4:36 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
6,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Lambeth 8,460 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Lambeth

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 Lambeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lambeth cheaper than Medellin?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,421 in Medellin and $3,726 in Lambeth 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.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Lambeth?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Medellin versus $1,214 in Lambeth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Lambeth?
All in, you'll spend $1,614 per month in Medellin versus $2,484 in Lambeth – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 28% less than in Lambeth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Lambeth?
At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,484 in Lambeth, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lambeth. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Lambeth more family-friendly?
For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lambeth, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Lambeth?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Lambeth are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Lambeth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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