Cost of Living Comparison Between Southwark and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Southwark and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,533 per month in Southwark vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,419 per month in Southwark vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,306 per month in Southwark vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Southwark is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Southwark and Medellin sit above the global median – Southwark by 12%, Medellin by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.56 £18.89
$8.03 COP 25.2K
218.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$102 £75.4
$48.26 COP 151.7K
111.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 £7.95
$9.77 COP 30.7K
10.03%
Cappuccino
$6.03 £4.45
$2.91 COP 9,149
107.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 £2.58
$1.94 COP 6,110
79.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 £2.42
$1.52 COP 4,783
115.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.75 £7.21
$3.09 COP 9,721
215.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.85 £6.54
$5.74 COP 18.1K
54.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 £1.41
$1.36 COP 4,287
40.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.06 £1.52
$2.39 COP 7,505
-13.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.15 £1.59
$1.70 COP 5,346
26.47%
Eggs
$4.49 £3.32
$2.87 COP 9,021
56.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.99 £8.86
$9.94 COP 31.2K
20.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.19 £6.80
$10.78 COP 33.9K
-14.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.84 £11.71
$14.73 COP 46.3K
7.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 £2.21
$4.09 COP 12.8K
-26.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 £1.07
$1.57 COP 4,940
-7.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 £2.14
$2.13 COP 6,682
35.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.44 £2.54
$2.21 COP 6,959
55.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 £1.25
$2.05 COP 6,435
-18.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.78 £1.32
$1.50 COP 4,728
18.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 £0.86
$1.19 COP 3,740
-2.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 £1.25
$1.16 COP 3,640
45.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.74 £17.55
$3.90 COP 12.2K
508.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.26 £9.06
$14.44 COP 45.4K
-15.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.07 £2.27
$1.58 COP 4,978
94.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 £2.34
$2.83 COP 8,889
11.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.98 £2.94
$1.17 COP 3,672
240.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$166 £122
$77.7 COP 244.3K
113.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.22 £3.86
$1.28 COP 4,038
307.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.78 £2.06
$2.09 COP 6,576
33.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.47 £30.65
$8.62 COP 27.1K
381.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 £1.50
$1.30 COP 4,080
56.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.6K £29.3K
$27.7K COP 86.9M
43.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.8K £30.2K
$35.5K COP 111.6M
15.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$343 £254
$176 COP 553.4K
94.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.14 £13.41
$13.37 COP 42.0K
35.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.54 £31.45
$29.89 COP 94.0K
42.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$44.76 COP 140.7K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.06 COP 53.6K
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.20 £13.45
$6.20 COP 19.5K
193.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,639 £1,951
$793 COP 2.5M
232.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.5K £23.3K
$9,019 COP 28.4M
249.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.7 £67.8
$85.6 COP 269.1K
7.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.62 £34.46
$58.5 COP 183.8K
-20.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 £76.7
$136 COP 428.4K
-23.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.0 £67.2
$103 COP 324.1K
-11.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,356 £1,741
$1,060 COP 3.3M
122.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$680 COP 2.1M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,723 £4,230
$2,012 COP 6.3M
184.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,903 £2,885
$1,169 COP 3.7M
234.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,111 COP 12.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,701 COP 5.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Southwark
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,165 £3,079
$665 COP 2.1M
526.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.12
10.94
-53.20%

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

Last update for Southwark: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,356 in Southwark versus $1,060 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 526% higher in Southwark, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Southwark versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $303 – 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
Southwark vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Southwark?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,300 per month in Southwark and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Southwark, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Southwark or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Southwark and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Southwark and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,533 in Southwark and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Southwark or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Southwark, where all-in costs run around $1,533, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Southwark it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Southwark or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Southwark – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Southwark. 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.

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