Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swindon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swindon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,488 in Swindon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,537 in Swindon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,586 in Swindon, rent included.

Medellin is about 32% cheaper than Swindon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Swindon sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Swindon by 82%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02 COP 25.0K
$20.71 £15.47
-61.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87 COP 149.4K
$63.3 £47.27
-24.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 COP 30.8K
$10.97 £8.20
-9.85%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 9,767
$4.96 £3.70
-36.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 COP 5,954
$2.72 £2.03
-29.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 COP 4,712
$1.63 £1.22
-7.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 COP 9,747
$5.50 £4.11
-43.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 17.9K
$4.66 £3.48
23.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 COP 4,509
$1.57 £1.17
-8.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 COP 7,759
$1.75 £1.30
42.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,535
$1.85 £1.38
-4.32%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,235
$4.41 £3.30
-32.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 COP 31.4K
$8.45 £6.32
19.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.12 COP 31.6K
$8.96 £6.69
12.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.30 COP 44.6K
$13.12 £9.81
8.99%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 COP 12.9K
$3.03 £2.26
36.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 COP 5,019
$1.84 £1.37
-12.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,007
$2.63 £1.97
-14.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,028
$4.22 £3.15
-46.68%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 COP 6,375
$2.08 £1.56
-1.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 COP 4,790
$1.49 £1.11
3.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,651
$1.30 £0.97
-10.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 COP 4,077
$1.81 £1.35
-27.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.2K
$23.31 £17.42
-83.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 COP 43.7K
$10.60 £7.92
32.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 COP 5,439
$2.81 £2.10
-38.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 COP 8,956
$3.58 £2.67
-19.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 COP 3,792
$3.26 £2.44
-62.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.5 COP 251.1K
$91.7 £68.6
-12.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 COP 4,084
$3.45 £2.58
-62.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 COP 6,825
$1.64 £1.22
33.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.71 COP 27.2K
$22.00 £16.44
-60.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 COP 4,260
$2.06 £1.54
-33.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K COP 86.9M
$38.8K £29.0K
-28.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K COP 111.6M
$40.6K £30.3K
-11.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 COP 553.2K
$324 £242
-45.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88 COP 43.3K
$16.38 £12.24
-15.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72 COP 92.8K
$39.69 £29.66
-25.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.88 COP 140.1K
$37.74 £28.20
18.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12 COP 53.4K
$23.28 £17.40
-26.46%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 COP 20.7K
$14.09 £10.53
-52.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$813 COP 2.5M
$1,236 £924
-34.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,187 COP 28.7M
$5,579 £4,169
64.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 COP 279.3K
$89.8 £67.1
-0.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0 COP 184.0K
$45.05 £33.66
30.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 431.2K
$84.9 £63.5
62.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 COP 318.7K
$88.8 £66.3
15.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 COP 3.3M
$1,238 £925
-14.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 COP 2.1M
$1,129 £844
-41.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,888 COP 5.9M
$1,926 £1,439
-1.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,027 COP 3.2M
$1,781 £1,331
-42.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,183 COP 13.1M
$2,656 £1,984
57.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,675 COP 5.2M
$3,146 £2,351
-46.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Swindon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$678 COP 2.1M
$2,988 £2,233
-77.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.87
124.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Swindon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,238 in Swindon. 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 341% higher in Swindon, 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 $63.0 in Swindon. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $304 in Swindon – so Swindon 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 Swindon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Swindon cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Swindon is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $3,733 in Swindon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Swindon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $63.0 in Swindon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Swindon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $2,488 in Swindon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Swindon?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Swindon at $2,488. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Swindon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Swindon more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Swindon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities