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 $3,583 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,632 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,681 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Seattle, WA costs about 247% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seattle, WA sits 168% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 $24.97

$5.92 COP 21.4K

321.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$32.75 COP 118.2K

264.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$7.20 COP 26.0K

93.06%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$1.70 COP 6,140

227.06%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.10 COP 3,966

178.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.72 COP 2,605

243.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$1.67 COP 6,022

376.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$3.10 COP 11.2K

158.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.06 COP 3,809

26.42%

White Bread (500g)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.25 COP 4,497

304.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$1.39 COP 5,022

285.61%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$2.26 COP 8,168

191.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 $25.31

$4.33 COP 15.6K

484.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$5.84 COP 21.1K

177.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$8.83 COP 31.9K

129.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.24 COP 8,099

166.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.08 COP 3,882

153.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$1.53 COP 5,522

250.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$1.37 COP 4,950

382.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.13 COP 4,078

187.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.12 COP 4,036

238.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.85 COP 3,057

221.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.91 COP 3,281

178.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$2.33 COP 8,414

385.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 $16.28

$11.13 COP 40.2K

46.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.19 COP 4,309

139.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.37 COP 8,553

75.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.79 COP 2,838

240.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$41.13 COP 148.5K

136.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.44 COP 5,184

88.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.91 COP 6,901

-9.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$8.02 COP 28.9K

267.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.94 COP 3,385

27.66%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

87.42%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-2.89%

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

$266 $266

$84.0 COP 303.1K

217.38%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$9.60 COP 34.7K

529.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$24.16 COP 87.2K

215.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 $79.2

$25.88 COP 93.4K

205.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 $40.51

$19.04 COP 68.7K

112.76%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 $16.22

$3.92 COP 14.1K

313.78%

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

$2,280 $2,280

$306 COP 1.1M

644.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

399.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 $69.6

$57.9 COP 209.1K

20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 $52.6

$31.82 COP 114.9K

65.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$99.9 COP 360.6K

19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$107 COP 386.8K

33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$487 COP 1.8M

388.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$368 COP 1.3M

407.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 $4,724

$826 COP 3.0M

472.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,510 $3,510

$716 COP 2.6M

390.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,711 $7,711

$2,925 COP 10.6M

163.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,381 $5,381

$1,407 COP 5.1M

282.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,493 $6,493

$546 COP 2.0M

1090.21%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,378 in Seattle, WA versus $487 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 1090% 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: $544 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 247%, 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 $5,374 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,550 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 $3,583 in Seattle, WA and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Seattle, WA at $3,583. 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.