Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lewes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lewes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $2,425 in Lewes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $3,566 in Lewes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $4,708 in Lewes, rent included.

Medellin is about 29% cheaper than Lewes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Lewes sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Lewes by 76%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03 COP 25.1K
$25.34 £18.75
-68.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26 COP 151.0K
$95.8 £70.9
-49.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.77 COP 30.6K
$10.33 £7.64
-5.42%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,107
$4.81 £3.56
-39.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 COP 6,082
$3.03 £2.24
-35.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 COP 4,760
$2.82 £2.09
-46.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 COP 9,676
$8.90 £6.58
-65.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 COP 18.0K
$6.83 £5.06
-15.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,267
$1.51 £1.12
-9.93%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 COP 7,470
$1.77 £1.31
35.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,321
$2.19 £1.62
-22.37%
Eggs
$2.87 COP 8,979
$3.80 £2.81
-24.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 COP 31.1K
$11.49 £8.50
-13.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.78 COP 33.7K
$8.67 £6.41
24.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.73 COP 46.1K
$13.10 £9.69
12.44%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 COP 12.8K
$2.98 £2.21
37.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 COP 4,917
$1.50 £1.11
4.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 COP 6,651
$2.92 £2.16
-27.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 COP 6,926
$3.39 £2.51
-34.81%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 COP 6,404
$1.65 £1.22
24.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,706
$1.41 £1.04
6.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 COP 3,723
$1.01 £0.74
17.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 COP 3,623
$1.58 £1.17
-26.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.2K
$24.30 £17.98
-83.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.44 COP 45.2K
$11.20 £8.28
28.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 4,955
$2.34 £1.73
-32.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 COP 8,847
$3.17 £2.34
-10.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,655
$3.34 £2.47
-64.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.7 COP 243.2K
$96.1 £71.1
-19.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,019
$5.02 £3.72
-74.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 COP 6,546
$2.67 £1.97
-21.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.62 COP 27.0K
$23.00 £17.01
-62.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,061
$1.99 £1.47
-34.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K COP 86.5M
$39.8K £29.5K
-30.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K COP 111.1M
$41.5K £30.7K
-14.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 COP 550.9K
$289 £214
-39.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 41.8K
$17.17 £12.70
-22.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89 COP 93.5K
$46.53 £34.42
-35.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.76 COP 140.0K
$46.85 £34.66
-4.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 COP 53.4K
$13.80 £10.21
23.62%
Cinema Ticket
$6.20 COP 19.4K
$13.81 £10.22
-55.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 COP 2.5M
$1,795 £1,328
-55.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,019 COP 28.2M
$29.9K £22.1K
-69.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 COP 267.8K
$76.1 £56.3
12.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5 COP 182.9K
$46.76 £34.59
25.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 COP 426.4K
$106 £78.5
28.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 COP 322.6K
$92.2 £68.2
11.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 COP 3.3M
$1,240 £917
-14.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 COP 2.1M
$1,035 £766
-34.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,012 COP 6.3M
$2,123 £1,570
-5.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 COP 3.7M
$1,724 £1,276
-32.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,111 COP 12.9M
$5,323 £3,938
-22.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,701 COP 5.3M
$3,993 £2,954
-57.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Lewes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$665 COP 2.1M
$4,727 £3,497
-85.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5
118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lewes: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,240 in Lewes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 611% higher in Lewes, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $96.0 in Lewes. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $298 in Lewes – so Lewes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Lewes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lewes cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Lewes is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $3,638 in Lewes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $1,795 in Lewes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Lewes?
Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Lewes – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Lewes?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Lewes at $2,425. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lewes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Lewes more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Lewes?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lewes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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