Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marathon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marathon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $2,263 in Marathon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $3,299 in Marathon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $4,335 in Marathon, rent included.

Medellin is about 27% cheaper than Marathon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Marathon sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Marathon by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$18.26 CA$25.33

-55.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$67.3 CA$93.4

-28.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.64 CA$14.76

-11.47%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.59 CA$4.97

-18.11%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.08 CA$2.88

-10.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.65 CA$2.29

-11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$5.54 CA$7.69

-42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$5.73 CA$7.95

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.03 CA$2.82

-29.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.53 CA$3.51

-5.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.29 CA$4.56

-48.33%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.42 CA$4.74

-15.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.00 CA$13.87

0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$11.58 CA$16.06

-13.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$15.14 CA$21.00

-6.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.77 CA$5.23

5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.36 CA$1.88

16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.84 CA$5.32

-44.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.85 CA$5.34

-40.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.54 CA$3.52

-21.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.21 CA$3.07

-31.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.46 CA$3.42

-51.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.67 CA$2.32

-23.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$14.17 CA$19.65

-72.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$12.42 CA$17.22

12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.75 CA$3.82

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.17 CA$4.39

-13.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$2.37 CA$3.29

-47.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$63.2 CA$87.6

23.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.99 CA$4.14

-56.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.44 CA$2.00

50.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$23.46 CA$32.54

-64.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.15 CA$1.59

18.26%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$28.5K CA$39.5K

-3.56%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$19.5K CA$27.0K

87.46%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$142 CA$197

18.89%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$39.20 CA$54.4

-65.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$57.3 CA$79.4

-50.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$41.56 CA$57.6

9.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$18.81 CA$26.09

-8.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$11.32 CA$15.70

-41.25%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$768 CA$1,064

4.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$13.3K CA$18.4K

-30.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$53.8 CA$74.6

62.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$38.28 CA$53.1

55.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$86.9 CA$121

59.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$104 CA$144

-1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,297 CA$1,799

-17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,175 CA$1,630

-44.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,035 CA$2,823

-5.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,752 CA$2,429

-40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$4,371 CA$6,061

-5.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$3,735 CA$5,180

-54.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,834 CA$2,543

-64.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.68

133.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Marathon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,297 in Marathon. 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 180% higher in Marathon, 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 $67.0 in Marathon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $354 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Marathon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marathon is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $3,395 in Marathon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $768 in Marathon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Marathon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Marathon at $2,263. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marathon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marathon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.