Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sixth of October City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sixth of October City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $377 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $698 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,018 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 173% more than Sixth of October City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sixth of October City are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sixth of October City 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.85 E£247

27.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.16 E£1,795

-7.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.69 E£188

98.92%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.89 E£45.55

93.26%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.29 E£14.64

262.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.14 E£6.93

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.16 E£59.3

45.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.88 E£147

10.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.99 E£50.7

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.31 E£15.91

319.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.54 E£27.64

159.26%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.47 E£74.9

46.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.34 E£170

31.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.34 E£222

35.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.49 E£382

15.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.17 E£59.5

94.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.60 E£30.65

85.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.29 E£14.72

427.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.25 E£12.67

440.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.33 E£16.66

242.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.18 E£9.36

527.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.19 E£9.65

347.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.14 E£7.18

550.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.72 E£87.7

36.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.37 E£69.8

-12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.84 E£94.2

35.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.31 E£15.93

170.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.41 E£21.12

246.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.46 E£23.27

317.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.04 E£53.0

636.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.30 E£15.25

230.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.0K E£1.8M

-48.51%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.1K E£1.7M

-19.59%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$11.84 E£604

582.52%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.14 E£518

-1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$4.90 E£250

393.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$49.50 E£2,527

-49.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.56 E£131

55.47%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$40.69 E£2,077

650.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,188 E£60.7K

409.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$17.77 E£907

227.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.56 E£2,173

-24.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$79.0 E£4,031

27.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$54.8 E£2,796

96.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$59.1 E£3,019

705.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$35.82 E£1,828

950.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$159 E£8,140

429.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$98.5 E£5,026

641.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$810 E£41.3K

296.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$196 E£10.0K

600.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$278 E£14.2K

122.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-32.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sixth of October City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $59.1 in Sixth of October City. 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 122% 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 $35.00 in Sixth of October City. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $101 in Sixth of October City – so Sixth of October City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sixth of October City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 173%, 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 $566 in Sixth of October City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sixth of October City, 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 $35.00 in Sixth of October City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sixth of October City, where all-in costs run around $377, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Sixth of October City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sixth of October City – 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 Sixth of October City. 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.