Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Seongnam vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Seongnam vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Seongnam vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Seongnam is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Seongnam and Medellin sit above the global median – Seongnam by 1%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 ₩9,094

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 ₩56.4K

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 ₩9,279

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-32.05%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ₩5,769

$3.13 COP 9,873

33.55%

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

$1.58 ₩2,175

$1.91 COP 6,019

-17.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₩1,125

$1.51 COP 4,763

-45.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 ₩4,719

$3.12 COP 9,853

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ₩5,184

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-34.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,121

$1.44 COP 4,558

56.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 ₩4,161

$2.49 COP 7,843

20.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 ₩5,043

$1.77 COP 5,595

106.21%

Eggs

$3.41 ₩4,702

$2.96 COP 9,336

15.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 ₩13.2K

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 ₩11.0K

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-21.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.84 ₩30.1K

$14.30 COP 45.1K

52.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 ₩10.6K

$4.14 COP 13.0K

85.02%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩4,772

$1.61 COP 5,073

114.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 ₩7,752

$2.25 COP 7,083

149.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.91 ₩9,540

$2.25 COP 7,104

207.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 ₩5,049

$2.04 COP 6,444

79.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ₩3,541

$1.54 COP 4,842

66.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 ₩3,812

$1.17 COP 3,691

135.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₩1,741

$1.31 COP 4,121

-3.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,624

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ₩25.9K

$14.01 COP 44.2K

33.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₩2,862

$1.74 COP 5,498

18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,553

$2.87 COP 9,053

-35.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₩1,440

$1.22 COP 3,834

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,911

$1.31 COP 4,129

171.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩831

$2.19 COP 6,899

-72.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 ₩12.5K

$8.71 COP 27.5K

3.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,920

$1.37 COP 4,306

1.46%

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

$29.1K ₩40.2M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

4.72%

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

$28.2K ₩39.0M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-21.09%

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

$203 ₩279.9K

$177 COP 559.3K

14.39%

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

$36.87 ₩50.9K

$13.88 COP 43.8K

165.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.09 ₩27.7K

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-32.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₩78.0K

$44.88 COP 141.6K

25.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.96 ₩16.5K

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-30.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 ₩15.2K

$6.65 COP 21.0K

65.71%

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

$571 ₩787.8K

$813 COP 2.6M

-29.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ₩24.5M

$9,187 COP 29.0M

92.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ₩79.4K

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-35.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.44 ₩44.8K

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-44.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ₩96.1K

$138 COP 435.9K

-49.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 ₩112.9K

$102 COP 322.1K

-19.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₩611.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-58.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₩493.3K

$663 COP 2.1M

-46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 ₩1.6M

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-39.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 ₩1.4M

$1,027 COP 3.2M

1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,019 ₩9.7M

$4,183 COP 13.2M

67.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,522 ₩7.6M

$1,675 COP 5.3M

229.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

10.94

-62.71%

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

Last update for Seongnam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Seongnam 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Seongnam versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $425 in Seongnam vs $305 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Seongnam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, 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 $2,077 per month in Seongnam 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 Seongnam, 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 $41.00 in Seongnam and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seongnam, where all-in costs run around $1,385, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Seongnam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seongnam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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