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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $3,648 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $6,397 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $9,145 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

Medellin is about 72% cheaper than Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Simpson Bay is 173% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$21.83 ANG 38.97

-71.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$139 ANG 248

-76.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.91 ANG 5.20

-40.89%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.95 ANG 5.26

-64.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$3.04 ANG 5.43

-74.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$5.41 ANG 9.66

-68.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.12 ANG 7.35

-23.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$4.62 ANG 8.25

-77.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.46 ANG 4.39

-47.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.48 ANG 4.43

-43.55%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.13 ANG 7.37

-47.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$18.38 ANG 32.81

-76.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$13.97 ANG 24.93

-57.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$15.56 ANG 27.78

-44.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.69 ANG 6.58

-38.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.91 ANG 5.19

-61.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$5.21 ANG 9.30

-70.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.98 ANG 7.10

-66.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.99 ANG 5.33

-62.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.06 ANG 3.67

-45.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.95 ANG 5.27

-71.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.45 ANG 2.59

-37.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$15.13 ANG 27.01

-18.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.98 ANG 1.75

22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.52 ANG 2.72

63.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.16 ANG 3.86

-61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$9.86 ANG 17.60

-85.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.41 ANG 2.51

-29.79%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$507 ANG 905

-84.06%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$35.34 ANG 63.1

-71.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$89.2 ANG 159

-72.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.61 ANG 15.36

-53.77%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$1,009 ANG 1,801

-69.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$12.0K ANG 21.4K

-49.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$78.9 ANG 141

27.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$2,295 ANG 4,097

-79.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$2,288 ANG 4,084

-83.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$6,494 ANG 11.6K

-86.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$5,963 ANG 10.6K

-87.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $2,295 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $139 in Simpson Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $426 – 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 254%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $5,473 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $139 in Simpson Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 121% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Simpson Bay at $3,648. 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.