Cost of Living Comparison Between Wote and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Wote and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $576 per month in Wote vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $896 per month in Wote vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,216 per month in Wote vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Wote is about 43% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Wote and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Wote 57% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 KES 392

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-49.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.31 KES 4,967

$33.33 COP 116.3K

14.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 KES 863

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$1.59 KES 206

$1.63 COP 5,687

-2.45%

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

$0.38 KES 49.10

$1.09 COP 3,821

-65.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.37

$0.73 COP 2,548

-69.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 KES 274

$1.74 COP 6,065

21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 303

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-27.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.05 COP 3,662

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.7

$1.29 COP 4,515

-58.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 KES 188

$1.32 COP 4,617

9.85%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$2.27 COP 7,927

-39.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.71 KES 610

$4.35 COP 15.2K

8.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 KES 792

$5.88 COP 20.5K

3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.68 KES 737

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-34.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 397

$2.25 COP 7,844

36.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.07 COP 3,733

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 270

$1.52 COP 5,322

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.7

$1.42 COP 4,964

-54.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 KES 67.5

$1.17 COP 4,084

-55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$1.17 COP 4,077

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

$0.89 COP 3,096

-26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 68.0

$0.90 COP 3,146

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 KES 408

$2.25 COP 7,837

40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 KES 1,499

$11.04 COP 38.5K

4.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 KES 285

$1.14 COP 3,977

92.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 350

$2.38 COP 8,301

13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.41 COP 4,912

12.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.90 COP 6,634

-17.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-62.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.01 COP 3,509

49.50%

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

$22.0K KES 2.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

25.30%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-24.66%

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

$34.26 KES 4,442

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-59.06%

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

$16.61 KES 2,154

$9.45 COP 33.0K

75.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.98 KES 5,184

$24.11 COP 84.1K

65.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 KES 780

$4.10 COP 14.3K

46.83%

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

$155 KES 20.1K

$312 COP 1.1M

-50.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,059 KES 1.0M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

34.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.84 KES 1,535

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-79.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.87 KES 1,020

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-75.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.43 KES 2,519

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-80.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.57 KES 3,056

$109 COP 378.8K

-78.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 KES 22.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-64.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 KES 25.5K

$379 COP 1.3M

-48.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 KES 99.8K

$837 COP 2.9M

-8.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 KES 34.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

-63.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

13.43

10.50%

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

Last update for Wote: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $172 in Wote versus $482 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 $38.00 in Wote versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Wote vs $190 in Medellin – so Wote 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

Wote vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $865 per month in Wote and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wote, 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 $38.00 in Wote 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 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wote, where all-in costs run around $576, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Wote it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wote – 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 Wote. 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.