Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seki Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $686 in Seki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,136 in Seki, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,586 in Seki, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Seki, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Seki are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Seki 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.65 ₼14.69

-30.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$35.32 ₼60.0

-6.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.43 ₼12.63

-4.58%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.67 ₼6.24

-53.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.78 ₼1.32

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.44 ₼0.74

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.79 ₼3.05

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.89 ₼4.91

6.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.38 ₼2.34

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.51 ₼0.86

147.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.36 ₼4.00

-41.53%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.39 ₼2.37

57.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.37 ₼9.13

-18.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.74 ₼8.06

18.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.35 ₼17.60

-14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.34 ₼2.28

74.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.72 ₼2.93

-38.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.53 ₼2.60

-1.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.79 ₼3.04

-22.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.83 ₼1.41

38.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.52 ₼0.89

123.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.40 ₼0.67

122.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.61 ₼1.04

37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.43 ₼5.82

-33.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.99 ₼15.27

18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.40 ₼2.38

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.77 ₼4.71

-10.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.02 ₼3.43

-27.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.61 ₼1.03

221.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.60 ₼6.12

115.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.70 ₼1.19

35.71%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$20.4K ₼34.7K

-11.32%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.2K ₼37.7K

19.50%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$23.21 ₼39.44

254.37%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.58 ₼14.59

10.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$10.98 ₼18.66

120.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$17.53 ₼29.79

47.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.92 ₼10.05

-33.61%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$254 ₼431

21.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,556 ₼11.1K

-9.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$58.9 ₼100

-0.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$53.6 ₼91.1

-39.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$125 ₼212

-17.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$99.2 ₼169

9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$176 ₼299

170.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$108 ₼184

249.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$315 ₼535

166.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$199 ₼338

263.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$652 ₼1,109

327.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$346 ₼588

249.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$251 ₼426

104.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.87

51.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Seki: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $176 in Seki. 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 104% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Seki. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $180 in Seki – so Seki wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Seki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,028 in Seki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seki, 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 $35.00 in Seki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seki, where all-in costs run around $686, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Seki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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.

If budget matters most, go with Seki. 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.