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: $1,287 in Arecibo versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Arecibo versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,785 in Arecibo versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Arecibo costs roughly 25% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arecibo is 6% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.05 $12.05

$8.03 COP 25.3K

50.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 $85.4

$48.26 COP 152.0K

77.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 $8.31

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-14.94%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$2.91 COP 9,167

16.84%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.94 COP 6,122

-3.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.52 COP 4,792

-4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.09 COP 9,740

-0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 $5.01

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-12.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.36 COP 4,296

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.39 COP 7,519

40.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.70 COP 5,356

17.65%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$2.87 COP 9,038

59.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 $12.57

$9.94 COP 31.3K

26.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-12.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-10.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$4.09 COP 12.9K

26.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.57 COP 4,950

64.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.13 COP 6,695

130.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.21 COP 6,972

119.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.05 COP 6,447

80.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.50 COP 4,737

159.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.19 COP 3,747

188.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.16 COP 3,647

35.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$3.90 COP 12.3K

209.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 $15.71

$14.44 COP 45.5K

8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.58 COP 4,987

93.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.83 COP 8,905

38.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 $39.73

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-48.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.28 COP 4,045

90.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.09 COP 6,589

-26.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.75 $42.75

$8.62 COP 27.1K

395.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.30 COP 4,088

-31.54%

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

$40.6K $40.6K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

46.78%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-22.00%

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

$324 $324

$176 COP 554.5K

83.90%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$13.37 COP 42.1K

417.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$29.89 COP 94.1K

114.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.35 $10.35

$6.20 COP 19.5K

66.94%

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

$820 $820

$793 COP 2.5M

3.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

36.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-34.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 $62.0

$58.5 COP 184.1K

6.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$136 COP 429.3K

-19.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$103 COP 324.7K

8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 $1,192

$665 COP 2.1M

79.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

10.94

-40.13%

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

Last update for Arecibo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Arecibo pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Arecibo vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $303 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

Arecibo is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 79% higher in Arecibo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Arecibo – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Arecibo versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arecibo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Arecibo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Arecibo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Arecibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.