Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Simpson Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Simpson Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $3,927 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $6,485 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $9,042 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

Medellin is about 56% cheaper than Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Simpson Bay sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Simpson Bay by 186%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$18.94 ANG 33.81

-57.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$130 ANG 232

-62.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$13.03 ANG 23.26

-25.02%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.44 ANG 7.92

-34.46%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$3.03 ANG 5.40

-35.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$2.92 ANG 5.22

-47.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$5.60 ANG 10.00

-44.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$3.93 ANG 7.01

46.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$4.06 ANG 7.25

-66.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$2.82 ANG 5.03

-15.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$3.04 ANG 5.42

-44.08%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$4.44 ANG 7.93

-35.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$24.67 ANG 44.04

-59.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$13.58 ANG 24.25

-20.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$16.97 ANG 30.30

-13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$4.28 ANG 7.64

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$3.56 ANG 6.35

-55.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$6.62 ANG 11.81

-67.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$5.04 ANG 8.99

-56.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$4.03 ANG 7.20

-49.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$3.47 ANG 6.19

-56.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$3.05 ANG 5.45

-60.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.40 ANG 2.51

-17.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$15.27 ANG 27.26

-5.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.71 ANG 3.05

65.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$3.05 ANG 5.45

-61.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$14.81 ANG 26.44

-91.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.32 ANG 2.36

-1.52%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$505 ANG 902

-65.14%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$34.81 ANG 62.1

-61.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$88.2 ANG 157

-66.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$73.7 ANG 131

-39.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$8.23 ANG 14.69

-24.67%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$753 ANG 1,345

5.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$12.0K ANG 21.5K

-25.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$50.2 ANG 89.6

70.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$39.86 ANG 71.1

46.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$100 ANG 179

36.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$59.4 ANG 106

73.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$2,297 ANG 4,101

-53.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$2,280 ANG 4,070

-70.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$5,893 ANG 10.5K

-65.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$5,742 ANG 10.2K

-79.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $2,297 in Simpson Bay. 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 $130 in Simpson Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $468 – making Medellin 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 Simpson Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Simpson Bay is pricier by about 129%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $5,891 in Simpson Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $130 in Simpson Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Simpson Bay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Simpson Bay at $3,927. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Simpson Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Simpson Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.