Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Olsztyn

For one person, living costs are similar in Medellin and in Olsztyn: $1,692 and $1,703 a month, rent and utilities included.

Medellin, Colombia
Olsztyn, Poland
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Olsztyn
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,703
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Olsztyn

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

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $1,703 in Olsztyn, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Olsztyn $1,703

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $2,449 in Olsztyn, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Olsztyn $2,449

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $3,196 in Olsztyn, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Olsztyn $3,196

Medellin and Olsztyn have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medellin and Olsztyn sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Olsztyn by 26%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$12.63 zł 49.35
-33.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$50.3 zł 197
-7.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$8.70 zł 33.99
8.85%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$3.29 zł 12.84
-4.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,727
$2.48 zł 9.67
-28.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,619
$1.85 zł 7.22
-23.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$3.09 zł 12.06
1.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$3.75 zł 14.66
52.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,969
$1.02 zł 3.99
50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,429
$1.25 zł 4.89
83.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,306
$1.38 zł 5.38
40.58%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,942
$3.87 zł 15.14
-20.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$9.61 zł 37.57
3.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$7.55 zł 29.52
38.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$14.51 zł 56.7
-3.79%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$1.19 zł 4.65
240.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,956
$1.66 zł 6.47
-7.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,823
$1.82 zł 7.09
15.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,437
$3.44 zł 13.44
-33.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,839
$0.91 zł 3.55
131.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,542
$1.18 zł 4.61
44.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,794
$1.34 zł 5.25
-12.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,123
$0.72 zł 2.82
119.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$5.49 zł 21.44
-28.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.5K
$7.81 zł 30.52
79.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,712
$1.13 zł 4.42
55.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,793
$1.56 zł 6.10
73.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,825
$1.04 zł 4.06
13.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$25.18 zł 98.4
202.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,859
$1.98 zł 7.73
-8.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,904
$0.73 zł 2.85
191.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$10.27 zł 40.13
-20.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,135
$1.64 zł 6.41
-21.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$31.2K zł 122.1K
10.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$28.9K zł 113.0K
18.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.3K
$336 zł 1,314
-47.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$9.64 zł 37.68
44.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$18.98 zł 74.2
61.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$45.06 zł 176
-6.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
$22.38 zł 87.5
-24.93%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$8.70 zł 34.01
-14.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$374 zł 1,460
111.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$14.0K zł 54.7K
-12.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 279.9K
$98.8 zł 386
-12.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$47.62 zł 186
24.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.6K
$99.9 zł 390
38.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.4K
$104 zł 405
-4.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$820 zł 3,203
63.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$638 zł 2,495
4.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$1,308 zł 5,112
51.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$1,025 zł 4,005
0.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$3,616 zł 14.1K
13.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$2,519 zł 9,843
-22.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Olsztyn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$1,491 zł 5,825
-56.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
7.52
45.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Olsztyn
$638 4.3% $29
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Olsztyn
$238 22.7% $70
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Olsztyn
$365 64.1% $143
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Olsztyn
$207 19.8% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Olsztyn
$157 8.6% $15
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Olsztyn
$35 62.6% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Olsztyn
$62 9.8% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $820 in Olsztyn. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Olsztyn are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $50 in Olsztyn. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Medellin vs $238 in Olsztyn – so Olsztyn wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇱 Olsztyn
🕒 Local time
18:42 6:42 PM
00:42 12:42 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
174,675
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,650 COP (10,000 COP = 2.74 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3.91 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.4 PLN (1 PLN = 0.227 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Olsztyn 9,840 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Olsztyn

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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $2,554 in Olsztyn. 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 Olsztyn, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $820 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Olsztyn?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $50 in Olsztyn. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 67% less in Olsztyn. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Olsztyn?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,692 in Medellin and $1,703 in Olsztyn, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Olsztyn?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $1,703 in Olsztyn. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Olsztyn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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