Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Szczecinek Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Szczecinek

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,539 in Szczecinek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,179 in Szczecinek, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,820 in Szczecinek, rent included.

Medellin is about 34% cheaper than Szczecinek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Szczecinek is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.3K
$10.66 zΕ‚Β 38.85
-43.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 116.9K
$24.71 zΕ‚Β 90.1
32.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.2K
$9.21 zΕ‚Β 33.58
-23.02%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,093
$3.69 zΕ‚Β 13.44
-53.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,910
$1.04 zΕ‚Β 3.80
5.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,771
$0.70 zΕ‚Β 2.54
11.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,976
$4.19 zΕ‚Β 15.28
-59.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 10.9K
$1.53 zΕ‚Β 5.60
100.65%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,892
$1.11 zΕ‚Β 4.04
-1.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,492
$1.06 zΕ‚Β 3.86
18.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,905
$1.55 zΕ‚Β 5.63
-10.97%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,799
$3.40 zΕ‚Β 12.41
-35.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$8.33 zΕ‚Β 30.39
-47.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.0K
$7.51 zΕ‚Β 27.38
-25.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.6K
$12.79 zΕ‚Β 46.63
-30.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,319
$1.02 zΕ‚Β 3.72
129.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,764
$1.98 zΕ‚Β 7.21
-46.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,355
$1.94 zΕ‚Β 7.09
-22.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,906
$3.07 zΕ‚Β 11.18
-55.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,097
$0.93 zΕ‚Β 3.38
23.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,141
$0.70 zΕ‚Β 2.55
65.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,170
$1.55 zΕ‚Β 5.66
-42.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,986
$0.69 zΕ‚Β 2.53
21.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,116
$5.43 zΕ‚Β 19.80
-58.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 37.9K
$8.48 zΕ‚Β 30.93
25.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,268
$1.11 zΕ‚Β 4.07
8.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,793
$1.60 zΕ‚Β 5.82
54.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,045
$1.11 zΕ‚Β 4.05
-22.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.3K
$32.71 zΕ‚Β 119
26.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,245
$2.37 zΕ‚Β 8.63
-37.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 6,984
$0.77 zΕ‚Β 2.82
154.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.5K
$13.61 zΕ‚Β 49.62
-43.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,397
$1.76 zΕ‚Β 6.42
-46.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.5M
$34.3K zΕ‚Β 124.9K
-47.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.2M
$30.2K zΕ‚Β 109.9K
-12.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 292.7K
$361 zΕ‚Β 1,318
-77.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.8K
$11.75 zΕ‚Β 42.83
-19.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.2K
$15.59 zΕ‚Β 56.8
55.42%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.1K
$37.01 zΕ‚Β 135
-30.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.6K
$19.41 zΕ‚Β 70.8
-2.11%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$7.54 zΕ‚Β 27.51
-47.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$377 zΕ‚Β 1,373
-17.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.2M
$6,552 zΕ‚Β 23.9K
-8.96%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 208.7K
$122 zΕ‚Β 445
-51.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.1K
$46.47 zΕ‚Β 169
-30.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 365.1K
$110 zΕ‚Β 400
-6.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 385.8K
$90.2 zΕ‚Β 329
20.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$505 zΕ‚Β 1,843
-5.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.3M
$494 zΕ‚Β 1,803
-23.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$962 zΕ‚Β 3,506
-12.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$807 zΕ‚Β 2,944
-10.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 9.9M
$2,673 zΕ‚Β 9,747
4.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
$2,552 zΕ‚Β 9,307
-52.54%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Szczecinek
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$1,354 zΕ‚Β 4,938
-62.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
4.2
219.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Szczecinek: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $505 in Szczecinek. 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 165% higher in Szczecinek, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Szczecinek. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $227 in Szczecinek – so Medellin 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 Szczecinek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Szczecinek cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Szczecinek is pricier by about 52%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,309 in Szczecinek. 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 Szczecinek?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Szczecinek. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Szczecinek?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,539 in Szczecinek. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Szczecinek?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Szczecinek at $1,539. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szczecinek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Szczecinek 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 safer, Medellin or Szczecinek?
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.
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, Szczecinek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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