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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $941 in Scottburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,461 in Scottburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,982 in Scottburgh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Scottburgh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Scottburgh are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Scottburgh 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.52 R 126

-21.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$27.70 R 465

18.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.01 R 84.0

43.71%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.97 R 32.98

-13.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.88 R 14.69

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.68 R 11.33

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.00 R 33.57

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.22 R 37.25

39.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.86 R 14.48

23.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.90 R 15.16

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.37 R 23.04

1.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.20 R 36.83

2.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.31 R 123

-40.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.87 R 48.15

103.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.67 R 95.1

55.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.58 R 9.65

286.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.80 R 13.48

35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.88 R 14.73

73.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.98 R 16.40

39.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.58 R 9.76

94.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.17 R 19.56

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.43 R 7.29

97.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.58 R 9.75

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.79 R 46.71

-16.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$3.07 R 51.4

262.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.45 R 24.26

-17.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.70 R 28.45

39.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.61 R 26.93

-50.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.71 R 28.69

-15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.61 R 10.25

213.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.74 R 113

18.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.34 R 22.42

-29.85%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.9K R 333.7K

-9.94%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$24.6K R 412.6K

8.90%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$142 R 2,383

-40.92%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$29.81 R 500

-67.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$33.71 R 565

-28.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$31.64 R 531

-18.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.90 R 116

-43.19%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$208 R 3,483

47.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,658 R 78.1K

27.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.39 R 711

36.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$29.75 R 499

6.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$94.0 R 1,576

6.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$74.2 R 1,244

44.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$368 R 6,163

32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$338 R 5,675

8.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$682 R 11.4K

21.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$690 R 11.6K

3.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$840 R 14.1K

248.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$620 R 10.4K

126.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.01

11.82%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Scottburgh: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $368 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Scottburgh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $131 – 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 10%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,411 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Scottburgh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $941, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.