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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $3,727 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $6,371 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $9,016 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

Medellin is about 73% cheaper than Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Simpson Bay is 178% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$21.68 ANG 38.70

-72.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$137 ANG 245

-76.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.96 ANG 5.29

-42.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.93 ANG 5.23

-62.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$3.03 ANG 5.41

-74.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$5.60 ANG 9.99

-70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.92 ANG 7.00

-21.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$4.51 ANG 8.05

-75.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.46 ANG 4.39

-48.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.60 ANG 4.65

-46.92%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$4.17 ANG 7.44

-47.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$18.68 ANG 33.34

-76.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$13.97 ANG 24.94

-59.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$15.13 ANG 27.01

-41.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.74 ANG 6.67

-37.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.86 ANG 5.10

-62.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$5.23 ANG 9.33

-71.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.92 ANG 7.01

-64.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$3.01 ANG 5.38

-61.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.95 ANG 3.49

-40.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.99 ANG 5.33

-70.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.42 ANG 2.53

-40.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$15.20 ANG 27.14

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.97 ANG 1.74

23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.54 ANG 2.76

60.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$2.16 ANG 3.86

-60.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$10.06 ANG 17.95

-85.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.46 ANG 2.60

-34.93%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$503 ANG 898

-83.64%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$35.37 ANG 63.1

-73.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$85.9 ANG 153

-71.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.49 ANG 15.15

-53.71%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$1,019 ANG 1,818

-69.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$12.3K ANG 21.9K

-51.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$79.0 ANG 141

29.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$2,279 ANG 4,068

-79.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$2,336 ANG 4,170

-83.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$6,559 ANG 11.7K

-87.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$5,796 ANG 10.3K

-87.51%

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

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $2,279 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 $137 in Simpson Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $425 – 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 268%, 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 $5,590 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 $137 in Simpson Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 125% 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 $1,013, than in Simpson Bay at $3,727. 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.