Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Seoul costs about 72% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 30% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.2K

$5.99 COP 21.3K

43.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩83.2K

$32.86 COP 116.9K

65.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,659

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-11.14%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,954

$1.71 COP 6,093

126.90%

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

$1.72 ₩2,643

$1.10 COP 3,910

56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,311

$0.78 COP 2,771

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,511

$1.68 COP 5,976

114.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩9,101

$3.07 COP 10.9K

93.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,410

$1.09 COP 3,892

103.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,288

$1.26 COP 4,492

173.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,804

$1.38 COP 4,905

126.81%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,886

$2.19 COP 7,799

45.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.8K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

222.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.8K

$5.63 COP 20.0K

95.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩53.2K

$8.89 COP 31.6K

290.78%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.2K

$2.34 COP 8,319

240.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,307

$1.06 COP 3,764

226.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,323

$1.50 COP 5,355

262.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.2K

$1.38 COP 4,906

384.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,830

$1.15 COP 4,097

230.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,516

$1.16 COP 4,141

154.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,024

$0.89 COP 3,170

195.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,947

$0.84 COP 2,986

51.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,949

$2.28 COP 8,116

41.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.9K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

83.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,710

$1.20 COP 4,268

101.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,977

$2.47 COP 8,793

31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,710

$0.86 COP 3,045

30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩73.4K

$41.40 COP 147.3K

15.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,458

$1.47 COP 5,245

142.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩828

$1.96 COP 6,984

-72.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.4K

$7.74 COP 27.5K

12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,911

$0.95 COP 3,397

31.58%

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

$28.3K ₩43.3M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

55.86%

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

$25.3K ₩38.8M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-4.35%

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

$161 ₩246.1K

$82.3 COP 292.7K

95.26%

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

$34.38 ₩52.7K

$9.50 COP 33.8K

261.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.3K

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩87.3K

$25.89 COP 92.1K

120.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.6K

$19.00 COP 67.6K

22.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.1K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

184.73%

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

$412 ₩631.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

33.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.3M

$5,965 COP 21.2M

296.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩89.9K

$58.7 COP 208.7K

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩71.7K

$32.35 COP 115.1K

44.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩120.0K

$103 COP 365.1K

-23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩175.0K

$108 COP 385.8K

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.5M

$476 COP 1.7M

100.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩924.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

59.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩4.0M

$838 COP 3.0M

207.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$724 COP 2.6M

80.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.9M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

551.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.1M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

661.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$512 COP 1.8M

504.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

13.43

-69.17%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul versus $476 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 505% higher in Seoul, 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 $54.0 in Seoul versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $188 – 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

Seoul vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seoul is pricier by about 72%, 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 $2,613 per month in Seoul and $1,519 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 $54.0 in Seoul 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 $1,742 in Seoul and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Seoul at $1,742. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul 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.

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