Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stanley Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stanley

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,011 in Stanley, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,572 in Stanley, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,134 in Stanley, rent included.

Medellin is about 44% cheaper than Stanley, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Stanley sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Stanley by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$26.95 FKP 20.10

-70.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$80.0 FKP 59.7

-40.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$4.33 FKP 3.23

-27.71%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$2.36 FKP 1.76

-19.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.39 FKP 1.04

8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$4.15 FKP 3.09

-24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.52 FKP 1.88

128.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.34 FKP 1.75

-38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$3.04 FKP 2.27

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.86 FKP 0.64

105.81%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$7.45 FKP 5.56

-60.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$3.06 FKP 2.29

229.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$9.86 FKP 7.36

2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$11.92 FKP 8.89

19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$9.35 FKP 6.97

-55.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$5.47 FKP 4.08

-70.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$10.72 FKP 7.99

-79.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$8.01 FKP 5.98

-71.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$3.31 FKP 2.47

-38.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.71 FKP 0.53

116.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$4.41 FKP 3.29

-73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$16.52 FKP 12.33

-76.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$11.94 FKP 8.91

17.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.46 FKP 1.83

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$6.90 FKP 5.15

-81.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.61 FKP 1.20

-14.91%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$390 FKP 291

-54.52%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$77.9 FKP 58.1

-82.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$455 FKP 340

-93.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$22.17 FKP 16.54

102.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$12.39 FKP 9.24

-46.33%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$114 FKP 85.0

-21.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$95.7 FKP 71.4

-38.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$162 FKP 121

-14.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$108 FKP 80.8

-5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,489 FKP 1,111

-28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,075 FKP 802

-38.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,684 FKP 2,002

-29.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,471 FKP 1,843

-58.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$4,061 FKP 3,030

-83.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.75

41.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Stanley: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,489 in Stanley. 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 499% higher in Stanley, 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 $80.0 in Stanley. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $402 – 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 Stanley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stanley is pricier by about 79%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $4,516 in Stanley. 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.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Stanley, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $80.0 in Stanley. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Stanley at $3,011. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stanley 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.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stanley makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.