Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seria Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Seria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $580 in Seria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $913 in Seria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,245 in Seria, rent included.

Medellin costs about 190% more than Seria, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Seria is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.08 BND 3.93

160.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$28.08 BND 35.87

70.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.37 BND 6.87

84.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 BND 1.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 BND 3.06

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.82 BND 4.88

-18.06%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.97 BND 1.23

96.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.50 BND 0.64

202.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.92 BND 2.45

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.51 BND 1.94

64.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.21 BND 1.55

46.28%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.38 BND 1.76

114.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.38 BND 8.15

57.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.54 BND 5.80

122.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.91 BND 13.94

31.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.22 BND 4.12

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.16 BND 2.76

-25.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.87 BND 3.67

-21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.50 BND 3.19

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.70 BND 2.17

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.11 BND 2.69

-27.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$3.72 BND 4.76

-68.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.81 BND 1.03

61.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.40 BND 29.90

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 BND 4.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BND 1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$15.92 BND 20.34

-75.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.83 BND 4.89

-65.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.40 BND 4.34

-35.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$11.78 BND 15.05

-26.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.32 BND 0.41

328.13%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$43.6K BND 55.6K

-36.09%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$36.1K BND 46.1K

-0.88%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$62.5 BND 79.9

183.68%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$15.97 BND 20.41

-13.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$66.5 BND 85.0

-55.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$27.01 BND 34.51

66.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.62 BND 7.18

18.33%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$219 BND 279

272.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$9,672 BND 12.4K

-5.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$31.37 BND 40.08

185.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$27.74 BND 35.44

112.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$51.0 BND 65.1

171.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$47.49 BND 60.7

115.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$716 BND 915

-5.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.88

181.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Seria: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 6% higher in Seria, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Seria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $206 – making Seria 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 Seria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 190%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $871 in Seria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Seria. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 Seria, where all-in costs run around $580, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Seria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seria – 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 Seria. 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.