Cost of Living Comparison Between Songdo-dong and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Songdo-dong and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Songdo-dong vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,299 per month in Songdo-dong vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,169 per month in Songdo-dong vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Songdo-dong costs about 38% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Songdo-dong sits 7% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 ₩10.9K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 ₩79.6K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

64.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.20 ₩9,128

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-13.89%

Cappuccino

$3.58 ₩5,282

$1.70 COP 6,186

110.59%

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

$1.11 ₩1,638

$1.10 COP 3,996

0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₩1,024

$0.72 COP 2,625

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 ₩4,204

$1.67 COP 6,067

70.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 ₩8,682

$3.10 COP 11.3K

90.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,163

$1.06 COP 3,837

102.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 ₩5,030

$1.25 COP 4,531

172.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,778

$1.39 COP 5,060

133.09%

Eggs

$3.08 ₩4,533

$2.26 COP 8,229

36.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 ₩20.9K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

228.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 ₩12.1K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

40.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.60 ₩49.5K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

280.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ₩5,262

$2.24 COP 8,159

59.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,238

$1.08 COP 3,911

166.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,297

$1.53 COP 5,563

267.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.56 ₩9,671

$1.37 COP 4,987

378.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,687

$1.13 COP 4,109

121.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ₩3,817

$1.12 COP 4,067

131.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 ₩3,694

$0.85 COP 3,080

195.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,698

$0.91 COP 3,305

26.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩4,947

$2.33 COP 8,477

44.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 ₩20.2K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

23.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₩3,315

$1.19 COP 4,342

89.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₩4,744

$2.37 COP 8,617

35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₩1,318

$0.79 COP 2,859

12.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₩5,176

$1.44 COP 5,223

143.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩827

$1.91 COP 6,952

-70.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.93 ₩13.1K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

11.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,757

$0.94 COP 3,410

26.60%

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

$28.2K ₩41.6M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

57.44%

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

$24.7K ₩36.3M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-7.95%

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

$161 ₩237.5K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

92.03%

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

$35.48 ₩52.3K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

269.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.37 ₩33.0K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-7.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 ₩109.6K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

187.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 ₩15.9K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

175.77%

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

$373 ₩549.2K

$306 COP 1.1M

21.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.0M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

301.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ₩88.5K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.37 ₩71.3K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

52.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.05 ₩54.6K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-62.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩174.4K

$107 COP 389.7K

10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₩666.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

-7.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₩548.5K

$368 COP 1.3M

1.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 ₩1.6M

$826 COP 3.0M

32.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₩1.1M

$716 COP 2.6M

8.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 ₩4.6M

$546 COP 2.0M

477.32%

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 Songdo-dong: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $452 in Songdo-dong 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 477% higher in Songdo-dong, 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 Songdo-dong versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $437 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

Songdo-dong vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Songdo-dong is pricier by about 38%, 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 $2,145 per month in Songdo-dong 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 $54.0 in Songdo-dong and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 130% more in Songdo-dong, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Songdo-dong at $1,430. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Songdo-dong 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, Songdo-dong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.