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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $546 in Seria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $893 in Seria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,241 in Seria, rent included.

Medellin costs about 86% more than Seria, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Seria are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Seria 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.10 BND 3.97

93.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$27.55 BND 35.26

19.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.59 BND 7.15

26.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 BND 2.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.85 BND 4.93

-55.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.94 BND 1.20

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.60 BND 0.77

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.88 BND 2.41

-42.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.42 BND 1.82

-11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.26 BND 1.61

9.52%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.37 BND 1.76

59.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.38 BND 8.17

-31.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.33 BND 5.54

30.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.45 BND 14.65

-22.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.11 BND 3.98

-24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.53 BND 3.24

-58.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.03 BND 3.88

-50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.76 BND 3.53

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.66 BND 2.12

-30.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.14 BND 2.74

-45.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$3.37 BND 4.31

-73.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.75 BND 0.96

12.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 BND 4.15

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 BND 1.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$15.34 BND 19.64

-85.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

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

$4.81 BND 6.16

-69.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$11.77 BND 15.06

-34.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.32 BND 0.41

196.87%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$38.9K BND 49.8K

-53.43%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$36.8K BND 47.1K

-28.08%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$59.6 BND 76.3

38.03%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$15.44 BND 19.75

-38.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$64.1 BND 82.0

-62.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$27.29 BND 34.92

-5.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.61 BND 7.17

-29.95%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$156 BND 199

98.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$9,317 BND 11.9K

-35.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$30.93 BND 39.58

89.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$27.30 BND 34.93

18.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$50.6 BND 64.7

102.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$47.60 BND 60.9

127.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$697 BND 892

-26.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.06

230.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Seria: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 36% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Seria. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $207 in Seria – 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 Seria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 86%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $819 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Seria. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Seria, where all-in costs run around $546, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.