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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $473 in Sharm El Sheikh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $731 in Sharm El Sheikh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $989 in Sharm El Sheikh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 247% more than Sharm El Sheikh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sharm El Sheikh is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$23.90 E£1,226

102.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.03 E£258

87.28%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.30 E£118

27.83%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.36 E£18.52

416.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.62 E£31.65

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$4.02 E£206

-20.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$5.05 E£259

13.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.90 E£46.21

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.50 E£25.80

240.00%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.21 E£62.1

138.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.88 E£199

156.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.56 E£79.8

155.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.51 E£25.94

209.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.51 E£26.07

321.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.30 E£15.44

666.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.19 E£112

75.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.58 E£81.1

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.10 E£5.02

1150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.45 E£22.93

202.22%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$32.9K E£1.7M

-16.50%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$22.5K E£1.2M

62.62%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$11.70 E£600

15.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$29.27 E£1,502

-3.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$368 E£18.9K

191.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$308 E£15.8K

111.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$645 E£33.1K

198.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$547 E£28.1K

91.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,002 E£51.4K

311.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$700 E£35.9K

142.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$156 E£8,019

319.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

26.5

-58.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sharm El Sheikh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $368 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 319% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Sharm El Sheikh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $58.0 – 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 247%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $709 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.

Groceries cost about 422% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Sharm El Sheikh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharm El Sheikh, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.