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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $587 per month in Wote vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $904 per month in Wote vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,220 per month in Wote vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Wote is about 41% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Wote and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Wote 56% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 KES 395

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-48.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.97 KES 4,908

$32.96 COP 105.2K

15.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 KES 866

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-9.83%

Cappuccino

$1.59 KES 205

$1.65 COP 5,276

-3.64%

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

$0.37 KES 48.45

$1.10 COP 3,514

-66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.10

$0.78 COP 2,491

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 KES 286

$1.72 COP 5,484

29.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-27.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 KES 95.8

$1.10 COP 3,521

-32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.1

$1.26 COP 4,015

-54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 KES 188

$1.38 COP 4,407

5.07%

Eggs

$1.41 KES 182

$2.18 COP 6,950

-35.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.72 KES 610

$4.49 COP 14.3K

5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 KES 777

$5.79 COP 18.5K

3.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.56 KES 719

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-38.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 KES 406

$2.32 COP 7,405

35.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.06 COP 3,397

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 270

$1.52 COP 4,838

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.5

$1.36 COP 4,327

-55.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 KES 68.0

$1.13 COP 3,599

-53.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$1.17 COP 3,738

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.90 COP 2,876

-28.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$0.90 COP 2,861

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 KES 392

$2.23 COP 7,128

35.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 KES 1,475

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-5.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 KES 291

$1.19 COP 3,793

89.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 353

$2.48 COP 7,920

10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.42 COP 4,518

11.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.95 COP 6,223

-22.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 KES 378

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-62.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$0.99 COP 3,160

53.54%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

22.33%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-24.66%

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

$34.59 KES 4,470

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-58.33%

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

$16.86 KES 2,179

$9.70 COP 30.9K

73.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.81 KES 5,146

$23.52 COP 75.0K

69.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 810

$3.95 COP 12.6K

58.73%

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

$153 KES 19.7K

$316 COP 1.0M

-51.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,972 KES 1.0M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

33.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.82 KES 1,528

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-80.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.95 KES 1,028

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-75.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.40 KES 2,507

$102 COP 324.4K

-80.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.56 KES 3,045

$107 COP 342.8K

-78.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$176 KES 22.7K

$475 COP 1.5M

-63.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 KES 24.9K

$374 COP 1.2M

-48.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 KES 100.0K

$849 COP 2.7M

-8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 KES 33.7K

$719 COP 2.3M

-63.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $176 in Wote versus $475 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 – $171 in Wote vs $193 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 71%, 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 $880 per month in Wote and $1,504 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 13% 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 $587, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.