Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,880 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,820 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,759 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Seattle, WA costs about 131% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seattle, WA and Medellin sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 184%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.01 $25.01

$8.02 COP 25.0K

211.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$47.87 COP 149.4K

108.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.06 $15.06

$9.89 COP 30.8K

52.28%

Cappuccino

$6.37 $6.37

$3.13 COP 9,767

103.51%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.91 COP 5,954

61.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.51 COP 4,712

98.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$3.12 COP 9,747

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.75 COP 17.9K

42.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.44 COP 4,509

-15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.49 COP 7,759

100.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$1.77 COP 5,535

261.02%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$2.96 COP 9,235

72.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.05 $21.05

$10.07 COP 31.4K

109.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$10.12 COP 31.6K

81.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$14.30 COP 44.6K

68.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.14 COP 12.9K

42.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.61 COP 5,019

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.25 COP 7,007

135.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$2.25 COP 7,028

187.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.04 COP 6,375

80.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.54 COP 4,790

118.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.17 COP 3,651

138.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.31 COP 4,077

96.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 $13.92

$3.90 COP 12.2K

256.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.01 COP 43.7K

7.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.74 COP 5,439

145.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.87 COP 8,956

104.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.22 COP 3,792

139.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$80.5 COP 251.1K

35.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.31 COP 4,084

96.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.19 COP 6,825

-21.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$8.71 COP 27.2K

249.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.37 COP 4,260

2.19%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

29.67%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-28.70%

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

$299 $299

$177 COP 553.2K

68.87%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$13.88 COP 43.3K

400.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$29.72 COP 92.8K

195.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 $80.2

$44.88 COP 140.1K

78.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 $34.93

$17.12 COP 53.4K

104.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 $17.70

$6.65 COP 20.7K

166.17%

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

$3,020 $3,020

$813 COP 2.5M

271.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

237.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 $77.3

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-6.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$138 COP 431.2K

-7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$102 COP 318.7K

56.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$1,062 COP 3.3M

134.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$663 COP 2.1M

191.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$1,888 COP 5.9M

151.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 $3,639

$1,027 COP 3.2M

254.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,583 $7,583

$4,183 COP 13.1M

81.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 $5,109

$1,675 COP 5.2M

205.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,219 $6,219

$678 COP 2.1M

817.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

10.94

-41.04%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,488 in Seattle, WA versus $1,062 in Medellin. 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 818% higher in Seattle, WA, 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 $100 in Seattle, WA versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $552 vs $305 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Seattle, WA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 131%, 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 $5,820 per month in Seattle, WA and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Seattle, WA and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,880 in Seattle, WA and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Seattle, WA at $3,880. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.