Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Scottburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Scottburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,084 in Scottburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,663 in Scottburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,242 in Scottburgh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Scottburgh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Scottburgh is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$7.87 R 128

1.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$39.52 R 642

21.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$6.16 R 100

60.55%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.88 R 46.77

8.68%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.12 R 18.18

70.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.87 R 14.09

73.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.51 R 40.85

24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.71 R 44.00

112.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.99 R 16.02

45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.02 R 16.53

144.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.55 R 25.11

14.19%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.45 R 39.77

20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$8.38 R 136

20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.10 R 50.3

226.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$6.09 R 99.0

134.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$0.64 R 10.44

546.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.93 R 15.09

73.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.91 R 14.82

147.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.03 R 16.81

118.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.65 R 10.49

213.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.45 R 23.54

6.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.49 R 7.95

138.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.65 R 10.49

101.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$3.07 R 49.86

27.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$3.21 R 52.1

336.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.52 R 24.69

14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.99 R 32.39

44.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.52 R 24.66

-19.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.45 R 7.30

191.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.78 R 12.66

180.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$7.67 R 125

13.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.48 R 24.05

-7.43%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.8K R 597.9K

-24.37%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$33.1K R 537.7K

8.10%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$144 R 2,342

22.99%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$34.89 R 567

-60.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$41.39 R 672

-28.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$33.64 R 546

33.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$6.93 R 113

-4.04%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$335 R 5,442

142.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$7,911 R 128.5K

16.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$56.6 R 919

58.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$30.59 R 497

92.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$99.1 R 1,610

39.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$89.6 R 1,455

14.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$431 R 7,009

146.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$379 R 6,157

74.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$811 R 13.2K

132.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$766 R 12.4K

34.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$879 R 14.3K

375.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$679 R 11.0K

146.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.81

-7.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Scottburgh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $431 in Scottburgh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Scottburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $145 – making Scottburgh 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 Scottburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,625 in Scottburgh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Scottburgh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Scottburgh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 110% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Scottburgh, where all-in costs run around $1,084, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Scottburgh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Scottburgh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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