Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Margate

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,397 in Margate, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Margate
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,397
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Margate

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,397 in Margate.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Margate $2,397

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,402 in Medellin versus $3,447 in Margate.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Margate $3,447

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,190 in Medellin versus $4,498 in Margate.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Margate $4,498

Living in Medellin costs roughly 33% less than in Margate, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Margate 78% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Margate
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$17.62 £13.22
-54.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$59.2 £44.44
-22.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$10.66 £8.00
-10.88%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$4.58 £3.44
-32.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$1.93 £1.45
-5.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$1.35 £1.02
2.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$7.96 £5.97
-61.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$6.78 £5.08
-18.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Margate
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$1.58 £1.18
-8.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$1.79 £1.34
31.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$2.61 £1.96
-35.63%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$4.41 £3.31
-35.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$9.78 £7.34
4.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$9.66 £7.25
-1.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$15.68 £11.77
-10.46%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$2.99 £2.24
36.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.69 £1.27
-11.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$3.56 £2.67
-39.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$3.52 £2.64
-34.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$1.77 £1.33
9.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$1.80 £1.35
-8.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$1.23 £0.92
-8.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$1.95 £1.47
-35.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$22.12 £16.59
-81.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$11.19 £8.39
19.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$2.60 £1.95
-34.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$3.86 £2.89
-38.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Margate
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$3.30 £2.47
-63.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$95.6 £71.7
-19.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$7.95 £5.96
-83.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$2.58 £1.94
-17.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$51.2 £38.43
-83.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$2.07 £1.55
-37.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$37.6K £28.2K
-25.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$41.0K £30.8K
-13.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Margate
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$342 £256
-49.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$18.66 £14.00
-28.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$42.12 £31.60
-31.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Margate
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$45.65 £34.25
-0.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$17.01 £12.76
-63.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Margate
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$2,568 £1,926
-70.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$35.7K £26.8K
-74.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Margate
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$90.6 £68.0
-4.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$47.65 £35.75
19.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$93.3 £70.0
46.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$127 £95.2
-22.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Margate
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$1,200 £900
-12.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$1,005 £754
-38.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$2,134 £1,601
-11.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$1,662 £1,247
-38.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$5,111 £3,834
-20.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$3,937 £2,954
-57.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Margate
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$2,652 £1,990
-75.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.04
117.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Margate: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Margate
$1K 63.2% $389
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Margate
$324 9.9% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Margate
$403 87.9% $188
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Margate
$161 5.2% $8.8
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Margate
$294 74.8% $126
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Margate
$130 38.9% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Margate
$80 37.8% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Medellin and $1,200 in Margate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Margate pays 307% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Medellin vs $59.0 in Margate for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $324 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇬🇧 Margate
🕒 Local time
00:31 12:31 AM
06:31 6:31 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
58,465
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 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 Margate 8,560 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Margate

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 Margate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Margate?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Margate. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or in Margate?
On paper, salaries run 307% lower in Margate. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Margate?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Medellin versus $1,200 in Margate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Margate?
All in, you'll spend $1,614 per month in Medellin versus $2,397 in Margate – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Medellin compared to Margate?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 25% less than in Margate. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Margate?
At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,397 in Margate, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Margate. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Margate?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,614 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Margate. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?