Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rugby

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,353 in Rugby, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Rugby, United Kingdom
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Rugby
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,353
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Rugby

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,353 in Rugby, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Rugby $2,353

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $3,513 in Rugby, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Rugby $3,513

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $4,673 in Rugby, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Rugby $4,673

Medellin is about 30% cheaper than Rugby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Rugby sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Rugby by 73%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$19.95 £15.01
-59.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$80.1 £60.3
-41.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$9.38 £7.06
1.28%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$5.02 £3.78
-40.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$2.07 £1.56
-13.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$1.49 £1.12
-5.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$6.13 £4.61
-48.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$6.42 £4.83
-10.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.72 £1.29
-12.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$1.82 £1.37
30.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$2.62 £1.97
-32.44%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$3.93 £2.95
-26.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$9.35 £7.04
8.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$7.92 £5.96
24.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$15.17 £11.42
-7.78%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$2.58 £1.94
53.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$1.77 £1.33
-12.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$2.49 £1.87
-12.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$3.13 £2.35
-30.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$1.64 £1.24
19.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$1.79 £1.35
-11.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$1.30 £0.98
-11.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$1.64 £1.24
-24.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$22.48 £16.92
-82.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$11.88 £8.94
15.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$3.74 £2.82
-55.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$3.25 £2.45
-30.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$2.60 £1.96
-55.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$96.6 £72.7
-19.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$4.69 £3.53
-72.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$1.61 £1.21
27.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$24.12 £18.15
-64.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$2.02 £1.52
-33.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$38.4K £28.9K
-11.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$41.0K £30.8K
-15.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$269 £202
-36.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$20.01 £15.06
-32.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$46.65 £35.11
-39.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$57.7 £43.41
-24.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$14.92 £11.23
-53.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$1,617 £1,217
-50.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$22.3K £16.8K
-59.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$105 £79.0
-19.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$31.48 £23.70
84.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$82.6 £62.2
63.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$114 £85.9
-14.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$1,117 £841
8.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$1,049 £789
-38.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$1,799 £1,354
12.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$1,847 £1,390
-45.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$5,050 £3,801
-17.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$3,853 £2,900
-50.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Rugby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$4,564 £3,435
-85.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.09
114.93%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rugby: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Rugby
$1K 63.5% $407
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Rugby
$306 3.1% $9.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Rugby
$336 58.9% $124
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Rugby
$306 80.2% $136
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Rugby
$150 11.3% $19
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Rugby
$120 27.9% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Rugby
$88 52.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,117 in Rugby. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Rugby are about 6.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $80 in Rugby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $306 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇬🇧 Rugby
🕒 Local time
20:23 8:23 PM
01:23 1:23 AM
5 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
70,628
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.753 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.838 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Rugby 8,400 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Rugby

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 Rugby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Rugby?
Yes – Rugby is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $3,530 in Rugby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Rugby?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,208 in Medellin and $1,117 in Rugby. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Rugby?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $80 in Rugby. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Rugby?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,353 in Rugby. That makes Medellin about 30% cheaper.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Rugby?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,353 in Rugby. 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, Rugby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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