🙂A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,645 in Poitiers, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,513 in Poitiers, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,381 in Poitiers, rent included.
🙂Medellin and Poitiers have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.
📊Both Medellin and Poitiers sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Poitiers by 19%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$15.73€13.56
-48.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$58.6€50.5
-17.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$14.63€12.61
-35.61%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$2.70€2.33
8.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$3.46€2.98
-46.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$1.90€1.64
-23.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$7.15€6.17
-55.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$6.47€5.58
-11.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$1.60€1.38
-10.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$2.42€2.08
-0.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$2.01€1.73
-15.42%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$5.37€4.63
-46.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$19.99€17.23
-49.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$12.21€10.52
-18.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
$15.99€13.79
-11.19%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$2.48€2.14
60.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$2.15€1.86
-26.51%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$3.47€2.99
-38.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$3.17€2.74
-27.44%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$2.00€1.72
-
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$2.53€2.18
-40.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$2.80€2.41
-57.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.69€0.60
85.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$13.62€11.74
-71.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$9.25€7.97
51.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$3.16€2.72
-45.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$3.91€3.37
-29.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$2.13€1.83
-41.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
$47.99€41.37
62.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$9.49€8.18
-86.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$2.95€2.54
-26.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$36.43€31.40
-77.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$2.21€1.90
-38.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$35.9K€31.0K
-23.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$33.0K€28.4K
10.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$267€230
-36.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$12.09€10.42
12.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$41.39€35.68
-31.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$50.6€43.61
-9.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$20.46€17.64
-15.84%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$9.42€8.12
-29.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$711€613
12.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$11.4K€9,851
-19.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$95.0€81.9
-8.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$46.79€40.33
26.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$82.7€71.3
68.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$76.4€65.8
33.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$602€519
77.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$382€329
71.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$923€796
108.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$753€649
39.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$3,711€3,199
11.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$2,286€1,971
-25.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Poitiers
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$2,023€1,744
-67.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
3.81
187.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Poitiers: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $602 in Poitiers. 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 209% higher in Poitiers. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Poitiers. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $366 – 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 Poitiers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,468 in Poitiers. 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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Poitiers?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $59.0 in Poitiers. 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 62% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Poitiers?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Poitiers at $1,645. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Poitiers it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Poitiers 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 Poitiers?
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, Poitiers makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.