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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $388 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $622 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $856 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

Medellin costs about 342% more than Sixth of October City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Sixth of October City is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.0K

$4.01 E£204

100.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.6K

$14.73 E£749

227.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$3.12 E£159

213.14%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,085

$0.81 E£40.99

259.26%

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

$1.94 COP 6,067

$0.36 E£18.14

438.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,749

$0.10 E£4.88

1420.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,653

$1.41 E£71.9

119.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,257

$0.88 E£44.72

54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,452

$0.29 E£14.69

724.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,308

$0.55 E£27.75

209.09%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,957

$1.41 E£71.6

103.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.0K

$2.63 E£134

277.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.02 E£205

168.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.85 E£399

87.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.05 E£53.3

289.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,906

$0.67 E£34.02

134.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,635

$0.31 E£15.88

587.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,910

$0.21 E£10.67

952.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,389

$0.38 E£19.17

439.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,695

$0.25 E£12.69

500.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,714

$0.26 E£13.27

357.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,615

$0.14 E£7.34

728.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.72 E£87.4

126.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,943

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,826

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,646

$0.22 E£11.23

431.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,009

$0.35 E£18.05

265.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,530

$0.48 E£24.27

335.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$1.00 E£50.7

762.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,052

$0.41 E£20.83

217.07%

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

$27.7K COP 86.3M

$32.8K E£1.7M

-15.55%

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

$35.5K COP 110.8M

$23.5K E£1.2M

51.23%

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

$176 COP 549.6K

$18.92 E£962

830.60%

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

$13.37 COP 41.7K

$4.20 E£214

218.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.3K

$8.98 E£457

232.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.7K

$49.16 E£2,501

-8.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$6.95 E£353

145.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$2.54 E£129

144.09%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$41.51 E£2,112

1811.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$1,195 E£60.8K

654.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.2K

$16.75 E£852

411.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.5K

$45.10 E£2,294

29.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.4K

$77.6 E£3,949

75.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 321.8K

$54.5 E£2,774

89.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$130 E£6,636

712.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$66.8 E£3,400

916.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$156 E£7,948

1187.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.6M

$99.8 E£5,075

1071.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$783 E£39.8K

425.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$197 E£10.0K

765.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$276 E£14.0K

141.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-57.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sixth of October City: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $130 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 141% 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 $15.00 in Sixth of October City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $87.0 – making Sixth of October City 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 Sixth of October City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 342%, 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 $582 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $15.00 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 249% 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 $388, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.