Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seongnam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seongnam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,385 in Seongnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,325 in Seongnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,266 in Seongnam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Seongnam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Seongnam sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Seongnam by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$6.59 ₩9,094

21.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$40.85 ₩56.4K

17.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$6.72 ₩9,279

47.17%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$4.18 ₩5,769

-25.12%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.58 ₩2,175

20.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.82 ₩1,125

84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.42 ₩4,719

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.76 ₩5,184

52.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.26 ₩3,121

-36.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$3.01 ₩4,161

-17.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$3.65 ₩5,043

-51.51%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.41 ₩4,702

-13.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.56 ₩13.2K

5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$7.96 ₩11.0K

27.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$21.84 ₩30.1K

-34.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$7.66 ₩10.6K

-45.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$3.46 ₩4,772

-53.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$5.62 ₩7,752

-59.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$6.91 ₩9,540

-67.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$3.66 ₩5,049

-44.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.57 ₩3,541

-40.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$2.76 ₩3,812

-57.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.26 ₩1,741

3.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.35 ₩4,624

16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$18.77 ₩25.9K

-25.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.07 ₩2,862

-15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.85 ₩2,553

55.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.04 ₩1,440

17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.56 ₩4,911

-63.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.60 ₩831

265.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$9.03 ₩12.5K

-3.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.39 ₩1,920

-1.44%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$29.1K ₩40.2M

-4.50%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$28.2K ₩39.0M

26.73%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$203 ₩279.9K

-12.58%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$36.87 ₩50.9K

-62.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$20.09 ₩27.7K

47.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$56.5 ₩78.0K

-20.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$11.96 ₩16.5K

43.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.02 ₩15.2K

-39.66%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$571 ₩787.8K

42.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$17.7K ₩24.5M

-48.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$57.5 ₩79.4K

55.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$32.44 ₩44.8K

81.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$69.6 ₩96.1K

98.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$81.8 ₩112.9K

24.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$443 ₩611.4K

139.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$357 ₩493.3K

85.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,151 ₩1.6M

64.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,042 ₩1.4M

-1.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$7,019 ₩9.7M

-40.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$5,522 ₩7.6M

-69.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.08

168.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $443 in Seongnam. 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 $41.00 in Seongnam. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $425 in Seongnam – so Medellin 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 Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, 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 $2,077 in Seongnam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seongnam, 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 $41.00 in Seongnam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seongnam, where all-in costs run around $1,385, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Seongnam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seongnam – 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 Seongnam. 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.