Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Szczecin

For one person, living is cheaper in Szczecin: $1,397 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Szczecin, Poland
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Szczecin
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,397
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Szczecin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Szczecin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,397 in Szczecin, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Szczecin $1,397

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,080 in Szczecin, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Szczecin $2,080

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,763 in Szczecin, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Szczecin $2,763

Medellin costs about 17% more than Szczecin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Szczecin sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Szczecin by 3%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$9.13 zł 35.98
-11.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$46.47 zł 183
1.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$8.52 zł 33.59
11.50%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$2.85 zł 11.23
5.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$1.85 zł 7.30
-2.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$1.40 zł 5.53
0.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$3.01 zł 11.87
5.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$3.01 zł 11.89
91.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$0.87 zł 3.42
73.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$1.29 zł 5.10
84.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$1.05 zł 4.14
68.57%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$3.21 zł 12.65
-9.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$9.15 zł 36.08
11.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$6.37 zł 25.10
54.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$12.80 zł 50.5
9.30%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$0.96 zł 3.78
313.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$1.62 zł 6.40
-4.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$1.58 zł 6.23
37.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$2.30 zł 9.08
-5.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$0.86 zł 3.38
127.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$1.03 zł 4.08
54.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$1.11 zł 4.37
3.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$0.56 zł 2.20
121.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$5.18 zł 20.42
-23.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$6.32 zł 24.92
116.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$1.07 zł 4.24
55.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$1.46 zł 5.74
54.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$0.73 zł 2.88
60.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$24.87 zł 98.1
211.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$2.01 zł 7.94
-36.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$0.92 zł 3.63
122.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$12.66 zł 49.91
-32.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.65 zł 6.52
-18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$30.6K zł 120.7K
11.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$28.6K zł 112.8K
21.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$237 zł 934
-28.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$11.99 zł 47.29
13.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$18.74 zł 73.9
49.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$34.52 zł 136
26.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$49.10 zł 194
-64.99%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$7.50 zł 29.56
-7.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$359 zł 1,417
121.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$7,743 zł 30.5K
17.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$67.8 zł 267
25.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$34.22 zł 135
69.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$78.4 zł 309
72.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$91.4 zł 360
7.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$659 zł 2,600
83.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$551 zł 2,174
16.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,247 zł 4,919
62.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$945 zł 3,727
7.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$3,380 zł 13.3K
23.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$2,491 zł 9,823
-23.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Szczecin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,570 zł 6,190
-58.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.82
60.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Szczecin
$551 14.1% $90
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Szczecin
$205 30.9% $92
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Szczecin
$268 26.7% $56
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Szczecin
$167 1.6% $2.8
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Szczecin
$122 27.6% $47
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Szczecin
$34 63.2% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Szczecin
$50 13.9% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $659 in Szczecin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Szczecin are about 2.4 times higher, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $46 in Szczecin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $205 – making Szczecin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇱 Szczecin
🕒 Local time
17:57 5:57 PM
23:57 11:57 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
387,700
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3.94 PLN (1 PLN = 0.254 USD). 1 EUR = 4.4 PLN (1 PLN = 0.227 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Szczecin 9,460 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Szczecin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Szczecin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Szczecin cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,096 in Szczecin. 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 Szczecin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $659 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 68% less in Szczecin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Szczecin?
Groceries cost about 45% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is Medellin or Szczecin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Szczecin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

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