Cost of Living Comparison Between Union, SC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Union, SC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,292 per month in Union, SC vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Union, SC vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,258 per month in Union, SC vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Union, SC costs about 34% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Union, SC and Medellin sit above the global median – Union, SC by 67%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.75 $8.75

$8.03 COP 25.1K

8.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 $80.9

$48.26 COP 150.8K

67.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 $8.87

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-9.21%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$2.91 COP 9,095

79.38%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$1.94 COP 6,074

17.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.52 COP 4,754

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.09 COP 9,663

-12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-40.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.36 COP 4,262

-19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.39 COP 7,460

4.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.70 COP 5,314

40.59%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$2.87 COP 8,967

3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 $9.06

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 $9.03

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-16.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-31.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.57 COP 4,911

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.13 COP 6,642

52.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.21 COP 6,917

91.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.05 COP 6,396

26.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.50 COP 4,700

35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.19 COP 3,718

46.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.16 COP 3,619

6.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 $7.84

$3.90 COP 12.2K

101.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.63 $8.63

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-40.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.58 COP 4,948

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.83 COP 8,836

60.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.17 COP 3,650

73.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 $6.89

$1.28 COP 4,014

438.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.09 COP 6,537

10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.17 $15.17

$8.62 COP 26.9K

75.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.30 COP 4,056

-32.31%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

27.14%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-25.73%

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

$172 $172

$176 COP 550.1K

-2.58%

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

$51.0 $51.0

$13.37 COP 41.8K

281.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.27 $44.27

$29.89 COP 93.4K

48.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.26 $41.26

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-7.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 $12.09

$6.20 COP 19.4K

95.00%

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

$1,318 $1,318

$793 COP 2.5M

66.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,874 $9,874

$9,019 COP 28.2M

9.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.96 $38.96

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-54.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.60 $20.60

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-64.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$136 COP 425.9K

-36.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 $93.8

$103 COP 322.2K

-9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 $1,473

$1,060 COP 3.3M

39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 $1,263

$680 COP 2.1M

85.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,701 $2,701

$2,012 COP 6.3M

34.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,420 $2,420

$1,169 COP 3.7M

107.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,724 $2,724

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-33.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 $2,403

$1,701 COP 5.3M

41.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,504 $2,504

$665 COP 2.1M

276.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-63.44%

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

Last update for Union, SC: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,473 in Union, SC 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 276% higher in Union, SC, 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 $81.0 in Union, SC versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Union, SC vs $303 in Medellin – so Union, SC 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

Union, SC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Union, SC is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Union, SC and $2,574 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 $81.0 in Union, SC 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 7% cheaper in Union, SC – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Union, SC at $2,292. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Union, SC 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.

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