Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stilbaai Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stilbaai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $806 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,311 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,816 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Stilbaai 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.70 R 92.1

4.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$45.14 R 730

-26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.53 R 73.3

59.60%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.44 R 23.30

13.19%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.58 R 9.40

87.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.54 R 8.77

35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.87 R 46.33

-39.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.69 R 27.39

91.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.80 R 12.94

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.54 R 8.79

138.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.66 R 26.77

-20.48%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.40 R 38.83

-5.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.60 R 74.3

-5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.60 R 74.4

27.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.37 R 119

16.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.26 R 20.39

78.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.86 R 13.86

24.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.10 R 17.75

38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.25 R 20.28

13.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.33 R 5.31

254.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.18 R 19.04

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.85 R 13.82

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.54 R 8.79

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.06 R 49.51

-26.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.89 R 79.1

125.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.82 R 13.21

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.14 R 18.44

108.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.61 R 26.02

-47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.42 R 22.89

-0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.26 R 4.16

630.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.37 R 70.6

77.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.24 R 20.11

-18.55%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$16.7K R 269.7K

5.36%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$16.6K R 268.5K

59.51%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$52.4 R 847

59.63%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$32.39 R 524

-70.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$27.76 R 449

-13.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$31.43 R 508

-19.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.02 R 81.1

-18.33%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$210 R 3,397

48.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,125 R 18.2K

432.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$28.38 R 459

104.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$16.70 R 270

94.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$56.3 R 910

76.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$55.8 R 902

94.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$358 R 5,781

34.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$338 R 5,458

12.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$684 R 11.1K

22.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$701 R 11.3K

3.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$984 R 15.9K

188.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$604 R 9,757

102.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,470 R 39.9K

-78.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.77

14.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $358 in Stilbaai. 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 357% higher in Stilbaai, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $140 in Stilbaai – so Stilbaai 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 Stilbaai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,209 in Stilbaai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stilbaai, 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 $45.00 in Stilbaai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stilbaai, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Stilbaai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stilbaai – 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 Stilbaai. 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.