Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Somerset West Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Somerset West

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,186 in Somerset West, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,965 in Somerset West, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,744 in Somerset West, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Somerset West, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Somerset West is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$12.27 R 196

-34.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$47.27 R 756

2.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$5.74 R 91.8

64.11%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$2.12 R 34.00

38.68%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$1.07 R 17.07

73.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$0.95 R 15.23

53.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$2.73 R 43.73

17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$3.46 R 55.4

65.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$1.05 R 16.81

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$1.03 R 16.50

133.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

$2.13 R 34.16

-20.19%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$2.34 R 37.44

23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$8.95 R 143

12.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$5.44 R 87.0

83.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$9.71 R 155

46.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$1.93 R 30.83

106.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

$1.99 R 31.86

-20.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

$1.71 R 27.34

25.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

$1.72 R 27.58

33.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

$1.57 R 25.09

27.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

$1.54 R 24.63

-1.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

$1.38 R 22.10

-13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

$1.06 R 16.97

20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$3.46 R 55.4

10.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$6.40 R 102

118.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

$1.44 R 22.97

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$1.84 R 29.37

48.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

$1.21 R 19.31

3.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

$61.3 R 980

27.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

$0.65 R 10.34

101.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

$1.60 R 25.58

35.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

$5.06 R 80.9

63.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

$1.44 R 22.99

-5.56%

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

$30.3K R 484.3K

-9.22%

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

$30.0K R 480.2K

21.74%

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$86.2 R 1,379

95.78%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$31.45 R 503

-56.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$40.32 R 645

-29.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

$46.98 R 752

-2.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

$11.11 R 178

55.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$7.44 R 119

-10.62%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$265 R 4,239

203.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$3,814 R 61.0K

140.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

$32.05 R 513

172.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

$31.89 R 510

86.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$72.5 R 1,160

91.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

$59.7 R 955

71.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$670 R 10.7K

59.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$436 R 6,984

49.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$1,369 R 21.9K

40.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$978 R 15.6K

7.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$1,316 R 21.1K

213.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$921 R 14.7K

84.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,476 R 23.6K

-55.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.12

8.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $670 in Somerset West. 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 125% higher in Somerset West, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Somerset West. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $209 – making Somerset West 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 Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,779 in Somerset West. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Somerset West, 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 $47.00 in Somerset West. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,186 in Somerset West. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Somerset West, where all-in costs run around $1,186, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Somerset West it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Somerset West – 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 Somerset West. 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.