Cost of Living Comparison Between Arecibo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arecibo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,457 in Arecibo versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,192 in Arecibo versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,928 in Arecibo versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Arecibo is roughly 41% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arecibo is 9% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.02 $12.02

$6.16 COP 20.0K

95.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.65 $49.65

$32.60 COP 106.0K

52.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 $7.68

$7.34 COP 23.9K

4.63%

Cappuccino

$3.34 $3.34

$1.72 COP 5,592

94.19%

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

$1.47 $1.47

$1.05 COP 3,416

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.77 COP 2,511

79.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.69 COP 5,480

18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.17 COP 10.3K

22.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.05 COP 3,418

61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.30 COP 4,230

163.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.40 COP 4,538

50.71%

Eggs

$3.82 $3.82

$2.16 COP 7,037

76.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 $9.05

$4.39 COP 14.3K

106.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$5.88 COP 19.1K

12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$8.64 COP 28.1K

2.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.28 COP 7,415

153.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.11 COP 3,599

72.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.53 COP 4,976

149.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.35 COP 4,405

192.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.13 COP 3,669

241.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.13 COP 3,687

170.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.85 COP 2,749

169.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.91 COP 2,971

59.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.22 $8.22

$2.34 COP 7,619

251.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.37 $15.37

$12.37 COP 40.2K

24.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.20 COP 3,904

79.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.49 COP 8,094

31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.84 COP 2,724

135.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.75 $39.75

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-2.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.92 COP 6,227

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.26 $15.26

$7.66 COP 24.9K

99.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.99 COP 3,219

-4.04%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

97.60%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-10.08%

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

$183 $183

$80.8 COP 262.7K

126.61%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$9.95 COP 32.3K

683.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$24.18 COP 78.6K

191.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 $40.42

$25.08 COP 81.5K

61.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 $7.12

$3.98 COP 13.0K

78.89%

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

$466 $466

$305 COP 992.2K

52.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,970 $3,970

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-34.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.26 $45.26

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-22.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.25 $15.25

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-52.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 $92.7

$101 COP 327.5K

-7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 $81.4

$108 COP 350.3K

-24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 $501

$477 COP 1.5M

5.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 $397

$376 COP 1.2M

5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 $1,030

$845 COP 2.7M

21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 $670

$730 COP 2.4M

-8.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,184 $1,184

$617 COP 2.0M

91.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

13.43

-68.95%

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

Last update for Arecibo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Arecibo and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arecibo pays 92% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Arecibo vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Arecibo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 92% higher in Arecibo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $501 in Arecibo versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Arecibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $50.0 in Arecibo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,457 in Arecibo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Arecibo. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Arecibo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Arecibo and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Arecibo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.