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 $3,634 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,545 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,456 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Seattle, WA costs about 258% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seattle, WA sits 170% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.77 $24.77

$5.95 COP 20.8K

316.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$33.33 COP 116.3K

255.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$7.23 COP 25.2K

90.59%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$1.63 COP 5,687

244.17%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$1.09 COP 3,821

165.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.73 COP 2,548

236.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$1.74 COP 6,065

357.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$3.23 COP 11.3K

154.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.05 COP 3,662

32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$1.29 COP 4,515

276.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$1.32 COP 4,617

290.91%

Eggs

$6.61 $6.61

$2.27 COP 7,927

191.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.06 $25.06

$4.35 COP 15.2K

476.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$5.88 COP 20.5K

168.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 $20.32

$8.61 COP 30.0K

136.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$2.25 COP 7,844

176.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.07 COP 3,733

156.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$1.52 COP 5,322

250.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$1.42 COP 4,964

357.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.17 COP 4,084

164.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.17 COP 4,077

229.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$0.89 COP 3,096

208.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.90 COP 3,146

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.35 $11.35

$2.25 COP 7,837

404.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 $15.48

$11.04 COP 38.5K

40.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.14 COP 3,977

149.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.38 COP 8,301

78.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.84 COP 2,916

220.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 $97.8

$41.95 COP 146.4K

133.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.41 COP 4,912

82.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.90 COP 6,634

-9.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.17 $30.17

$7.75 COP 27.0K

289.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.01 COP 3,509

13.86%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

89.40%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

0.01%

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

$263 $263

$83.7 COP 292.1K

214.58%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$9.45 COP 33.0K

537.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$24.11 COP 84.1K

207.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 $80.6

$25.31 COP 88.3K

218.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.99 $40.99

$19.14 COP 66.8K

114.16%

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 $15.91

$4.10 COP 14.3K

288.05%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$312 COP 1.1M

631.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

397.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 $70.0

$58.0 COP 202.6K

20.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$32.56 COP 113.6K

65.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$99.6 COP 347.7K

19.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$109 COP 378.8K

31.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,312 $2,312

$482 COP 1.7M

379.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$379 COP 1.3M

381.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,694 $4,694

$837 COP 2.9M

460.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,491 $3,491

$723 COP 2.5M

382.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,154 $8,154

$2,840 COP 9.9M

187.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,200 $5,200

$1,223 COP 4.3M

325.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,564 $6,564

$541 COP 1.9M

1113.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

13.43

-52.20%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,312 in Seattle, WA versus $482 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 1114% 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 $119 in Seattle, WA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $538 vs $190 – 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 258%, 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 $5,452 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,525 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 $119 in Seattle, WA and $33.00 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 $3,634 in Seattle, WA and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Seattle, WA at $3,634. 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.