Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $3,416 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $21,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Selfoss, Iceland
Medellin, Colombia
Selfoss
🇮🇸 Iceland
$3,416
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Selfoss and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Selfoss and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,416 per month in Selfoss vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Selfoss $3,416
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $2,439 per month in Selfoss vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Selfoss $2,439
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,461 per month in Selfoss vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Selfoss $1,461
  • Medellin $3,186

Selfoss costs about 108% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Selfoss and Medellin sit above the global median – Selfoss by 151%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$47.05 COP 151.7K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$20.39 ISK 2,475
$9.50 COP 30.6K
114.63%
Cappuccino
-
$3.01 COP 9,722
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.80 COP 5,801
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.41 COP 4,554
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.18 ISK 1,478
$3.18 COP 10.2K
283.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.75 COP 18.5K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.77 ISK 215
$1.51 COP 4,869
17.22%
White Bread (500g)
$7.65 ISK 929
$2.38 COP 7,667
221.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.55 ISK 552
$1.77 COP 5,712
157.06%
Eggs
$6.49 ISK 787
$2.89 COP 9,320
124.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.25 ISK 2,094
$10.19 COP 32.9K
69.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$21.56 ISK 2,617
$9.87 COP 31.8K
118.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$33.60 ISK 4,078
$13.99 COP 45.1K
140.17%
Apples (1kg)
$2.83 ISK 343
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-28.72%
Banana (1kg)
$2.70 ISK 328
$1.55 COP 5,005
74.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 ISK 330
$2.18 COP 7,039
24.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.25 ISK 880
$2.18 COP 7,041
232.57%
Potato (1kg)
$3.24 ISK 394
$1.96 COP 6,328
65.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 ISK 252
$1.59 COP 5,125
30.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.70 ISK 449
$1.15 COP 3,694
221.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 ISK 163
$1.24 COP 4,009
8.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.61 ISK 1,895
$3.96 COP 12.8K
294.19%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.68 COP 44.1K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.66 COP 5,352
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 ISK 140
$2.26 COP 7,281
-49.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.17 COP 3,766
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 249.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.27 COP 4,089
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.05 COP 6,603
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.35 COP 4,343
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.1K COP 109.8M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.7K COP 111.8M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$170 COP 547.0K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.55 COP 43.7K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$28.07 COP 90.5K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$43.70 COP 140.9K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 55.4K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$797 COP 2.6M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$84.7 COP 273.2K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$58.0 COP 186.9K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$135 COP 435.2K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$97.9 COP 315.6K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,771 ISK 336.4K
$642 COP 2.1M
331.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,170 COP 13.4M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Selfoss
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
10.94
-

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

Last update for Selfoss: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Selfoss
–
Medellin
$642
Groceries & Markets
Selfoss
–
Medellin
$297
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Selfoss
–
Medellin
$211
Eating Out
Selfoss
–
Medellin
$170
Clothing & Footwear
Selfoss
–
Medellin
$169
Getting Around
Selfoss
–
Medellin
$94
Sport & Entertainment
Selfoss
–
Medellin
$58
Good to know
🇮🇸 Selfoss
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
07:01 7:01 AM
02:01 2:01 AM
5 h behind Selfoss
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,000
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Selfoss Medellin 7,720 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Selfoss
  • Medellin

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
Selfoss vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Selfoss?
Yes – Selfoss is pricier by about 108%, 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 $5,124 per month in Selfoss and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Selfoss and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,416 in Selfoss and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 52% cheaper.
How do food prices compare in Selfoss and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 76% more in Selfoss, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Selfoss or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Selfoss at $3,416. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Selfoss or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $3,416 in Selfoss. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Selfoss vs other spots: cost of living compared

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