Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Szeged

For one person, living is cheaper in Szeged: $1,223 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Szeged, Hungary
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Szeged
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Szeged

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 Szeged actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,223 in Szeged, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Szeged $1,223

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,918 in Szeged, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Szeged $1,918

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,613 in Szeged, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Szeged $2,613

Medellin costs about 34% more than Szeged, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Szeged is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$9.23 Ft 3,044
-12.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$58.0 Ft 19.1K
-18.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$9.04 Ft 2,981
5.09%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$2.37 Ft 782
27.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$1.57 Ft 519
14.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$1.31 Ft 432
7.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$2.23 Ft 737
42.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$2.31 Ft 760
148.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.18 Ft 390
27.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$1.35 Ft 446
76.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$2.43 Ft 803
-27.16%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$3.56 Ft 1,175
-18.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$10.68 Ft 3,520
-4.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$6.58 Ft 2,169
50.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$15.85 Ft 5,225
-11.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$2.19 Ft 720
81.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$2.25 Ft 742
-31.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$2.00 Ft 658
9.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$3.34 Ft 1,100
-34.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$1.03 Ft 338
90.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$1.04 Ft 343
52.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$1.59 Ft 525
-27.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.50 Ft 165
148.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$7.94 Ft 2,616
-50.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$5.18 Ft 1,706
164.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$1.23 Ft 405
34.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$1.98 Ft 651
14.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$1.71 Ft 564
-31.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$28.69 Ft 9,457
169.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$3.03 Ft 999
-58.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$1.64 Ft 542
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$18.32 Ft 6,039
-53.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.82 Ft 599
-25.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$26.9K Ft 8.9M
26.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$35.5K Ft 11.7M
-2.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$128 Ft 42.1K
32.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$21.90 Ft 7,221
-38.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$19.74 Ft 6,509
42.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$51.5 Ft 17.0K
-15.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
$29.38 Ft 9,687
-41.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$8.64 Ft 2,849
-20.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$250 Ft 82.4K
218.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$6,580 Ft 2.2M
38.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$112 Ft 37.0K
-24.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$32.50 Ft 10.7K
78.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$93.6 Ft 30.8K
44.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$110 Ft 36.4K
-11.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$518 Ft 170.8K
133.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$375 Ft 123.7K
71.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$739 Ft 243.6K
174.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$615 Ft 202.9K
64.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$3,210 Ft 1.1M
29.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$2,316 Ft 763.7K
-17.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Szeged
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,224 Ft 403.6K
-46.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.67
64.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Szeged: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Szeged
$375 41.5% $266
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Szeged
$249 16.2% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Szeged
$169 19.8% $42
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Szeged
$157 7.6% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Szeged
$157 7.1% $12
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Szeged
$47 50% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Szeged
$69 19.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $518 in Szeged. 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 86% higher in Szeged, 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 $58 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $249 in Szeged – so Szeged wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇭🇺 Szeged
🕒 Local time
08:19 8:19 AM
14:19 2:19 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
157,930
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,501 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 330 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.03 USD). 1 EUR = 367 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.73 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Szeged 9,940 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Szeged

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 Szeged: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Szeged cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 34%, 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 $1,834 in Szeged. 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 Szeged, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $518 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Szeged?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $58 in Szeged. 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 Szeged?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,223 in Szeged. That’s a gap of about 34%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Szeged?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szeged, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Szeged it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Szeged more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Szeged – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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