Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sharm El Sheikh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sharm El Sheikh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $684 in Sharm El Sheikh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,118 in Sharm El Sheikh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,552 in Sharm El Sheikh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Sharm El Sheikh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.74 E£402

-22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$21.46 E£1,114

53.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.48 E£285

29.38%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.76 E£91.3

-2.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.32 E£16.51

243.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.44 E£22.88

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$3.00 E£156

-44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$5.00 E£259

-38.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.91 E£47.20

19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.62 E£32.19

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.65 E£33.93

112.31%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.34 E£69.6

63.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.37 E£175

30.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.93 E£204

43.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.77 E£455

1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.60 E£83.1

46.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.48 E£24.73

120.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.50 E£26.01

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.31 E£16.15

345.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.40 E£20.79

187.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.40 E£20.84

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.24 E£12.47

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.20 E£10.53

320.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.65 E£85.8

38.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.36 E£70.5

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.82 E£94.4

35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.11 E£5.93

681.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.39 E£20.14

276.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.29 E£14.84

575.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.97 E£102

292.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.36 E£18.49

163.89%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$35.5K E£1.8M

-48.93%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$33.6K E£1.7M

-21.24%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$12.06 E£626

582.01%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$11.13 E£577

-14.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$28.07 E£1,457

-13.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$15.01 E£779

72.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.94 E£308

219.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.54 E£184

11.02%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$114 E£5,938

170.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,855 E£96.3K

221.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$27.01 E£1,402

117.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$48.05 E£2,494

-32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$110 E£5,695

-6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$51.3 E£2,663

111.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$370 E£19.2K

28.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$281 E£14.6K

35.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$626 E£32.5K

33.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$561 E£29.1K

29.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$997 E£51.7K

179.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$690 E£35.8K

75.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$151 E£7,827

239.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.67

-19.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sharm El Sheikh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $370 in Sharm El Sheikh. 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 239% 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 $21.00 in Sharm El Sheikh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $110 – making Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,026 in Sharm El Sheikh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sharm El Sheikh, 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 $21.00 in Sharm El Sheikh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% 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 Sharm El Sheikh, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sharm El Sheikh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sharm El Sheikh – 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 Sharm El Sheikh. 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.