Townleap

Cost of Living: Medellin vs Prague (2026)

Colombia vs Czech Republic — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Medellin
Prague
$703/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$1,228/mo
$4k/yr
Take-home savings

At each city's local median pay

$14k/yr
5 yr
PR path
5 yr
Freelance setup
Trabajador Independiente
  • No VAT exemption
  • 28% social
  • €300/yr accountant
Stripe
OSVČ
  • VAT-free under €80k
  • 29% social
  • €500/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated April 2026

TL;DRMedellin is 43% cheaper on rent ($703/mo vs $1,228/mo). Prague is safer — homicide rate 2.0 vs 25.3 per 100k. Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.
Prague scores 78 to Medellin's 50 on livability — the gap is real. Medellin has its charms, but the numbers favor Prague.
Household
Medellin
Metric
Prague
$402/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$722/mo
$2,156
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
$6,230
29 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
83 / 100
25.3 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
2.0 / 100k
16.2 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
5.2 / 100k
46 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
75 / 100
79°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
73°F
63°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
28°F
79 Mbps
Internet speed
higher is better
137 Mbps
14.7 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
12.1 μg/m³
71 / 100
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
81 / 100
6.3 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
8.1 / 10
4.0 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
2.3 / 9
71 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
30 / 100
28/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
57/100
$22k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$57k
6.6% · Noticeable price creep
📈
Inflation
lower is better
2.4% · Boringly steady
74/100 — Mostly stable
Grid reliability
higher is better
72/100 — Mostly stable
68/100
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
95/100
A median Software Engineer in Medellin takes home $2,180/mo under Standard employee. In Prague: $4,147/mo under Standard employee.
$1,967/mo more in Prague
Each city pays its own median — Software Engineer gross via Levels.fyi / Eurostat. Moving changes your salary too; that's the point.
$34k
💰
Gross income
$68k
−$5k
🏛️
Income tax
Standard employee
−$10k
−$3k
🛡️
Social contributions
−$8k
$26k/yr
$2k/mo
💵
Take-home pay
$50k/yr
$4k/mo
−$23k
🏠
Cost of living
−$36k
$4k/yr
🐖
Annual savings
$14k/yr
Swap the local medians for your actual number

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Medellin
$525/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Prague
2.0 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Prague
8.1/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
79°F vs 73°F summers
🗣️
English
Prague
higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

10% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
46% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
11.8h
Shortest day
Dec
8.1h
12.5h
Longest day
Jun
16.4h

Sun clocks out early in Prague's winter. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

declining
Democracy trend
improving
improving
Inflation trend
improving
techtourismfashion-textilefintech
Industries
cybersecuritytravel-techenterprise-softwareai
active
Startup ecosystem
active
Easy
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
Easy
EU visa
Easy
Easy
RU visa
Complex
Easy
UA visa
Easy
Partner cannot work on this visa
Spouse works
Partner can work immediately
Partner pathway
Not recognized
registrované partnerství

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
24 wk
Gestational limit
12 wk

Legal on request up to 24 weeks since 2022 Constitutional Court ruling.

On request up to 12 weeks. For medical reasons up to 24 weeks.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal
Marriage
Civil union
Joint adoption
Adoption
Step-child only
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Medellin vs Prague — Common Questions

Is Medellin cheaper than Prague?

Medellin is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $703/month there vs $1228/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Medellin or Prague?

Prague is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Medellin has a rate of 25.27 per 100,000 and Prague has 1.99 per 100,000.

Should I move to Medellin or Prague?

Prague scores 78 to Medellin's 50 on livability — the gap is real. Medellin has its charms, but the numbers favor Prague. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Medellin or Prague?

Medellin: Colombia Digital Nomad Visa (V-type) (easy to get, 2 years (renewable)). Prague: Czech Trade License (Živnostenský list) (moderate requirements, Ongoing). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Medellin or Prague?

Medellin is warmer in summer (79°F vs 73°F). Prague has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Medellin or Prague without speaking the local language?

Prague is easier for street-level English (57/100) than Medellin (28/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Medellin vs Prague?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $703/month in Medellin, $1228/month in Prague (Numbeo). That's 43% cheaper rent in Medellin.

Is Medellin or Prague better for democracy and rule of law?

Prague scores 8.1/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 6.3/10 for Medellin. That puts it in 'full democracy' territory — free press, independent courts, the works.

Is healthcare better in Medellin or Prague?

Prague scores higher on our composite healthcare index (81/100 vs 71/100 for Medellin). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

Let the algorithm judge you

2 min quiz — surprisingly accurate

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