Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Szczecin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Szczecin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,364 in Szczecin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,044 in Szczecin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,723 in Szczecin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Szczecin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Szczecin sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Szczecin by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$9.45 zł 35.85

-15.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$48.34 zł 183

-0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$8.71 zł 33.05

13.55%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.07 zł 11.65

1.95%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.84 zł 6.98

3.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.52 zł 5.77

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$3.25 zł 12.35

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.15 zł 11.94

82.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.91 zł 3.46

58.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.29 zł 4.90

93.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.16 zł 4.40

52.59%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.46 zł 13.12

-14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.57 zł 36.33

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.55 zł 24.86

54.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$13.14 zł 49.86

8.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.02 zł 3.88

305.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.67 zł 6.35

-3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.64 zł 6.23

37.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.45 zł 9.29

-8.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.87 zł 3.32

134.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.11 zł 4.23

38.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.17 zł 4.43

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.58 zł 2.19

125.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$5.49 zł 20.85

-28.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$6.67 zł 25.30

110.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.17 zł 4.43

48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.52 zł 5.75

88.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.83 zł 3.14

46.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$26.86 zł 102

199.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.01 zł 7.61

-34.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.91 zł 3.45

140.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$13.43 zł 51.0

-35.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.60 zł 6.09

-14.37%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$31.9K zł 121.2K

-12.81%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$29.9K zł 113.3K

19.83%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$250 zł 949

-29.07%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$12.95 zł 49.16

7.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$19.37 zł 73.5

53.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$31.84 zł 121

40.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$51.4 zł 195

-66.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$6.75 zł 25.61

-1.48%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$349 zł 1,325

132.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$7,999 zł 30.4K

14.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$72.2 zł 274

23.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$36.47 zł 138

61.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$81.7 zł 310

69.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$93.3 zł 354

9.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$639 zł 2,426

66.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$506 zł 1,919

31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,179 zł 4,477

60.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$856 zł 3,248

20.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$3,456 zł 13.1K

21.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$2,478 zł 9,406

-32.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,643 zł 6,235

-58.75%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $639 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 run about 142% higher in Szczecin, 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 $48.00 in Szczecin. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $214 in Szczecin – so Szczecin 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 Szczecin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 23%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,046 in Szczecin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Szczecin, 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 $48.00 in Szczecin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,364 in Szczecin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szczecin, where all-in costs run around $1,364, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Szczecin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Szczecin. 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.