Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,154 per month in Arima vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,909 per month in Arima vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,664 per month in Arima vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Arima costs about 15% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arima and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.78 TTD 59.0

$5.91 COP 18.6K

48.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 TTD 502

$32.96 COP 103.8K

126.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 TTD 51.1

$7.43 COP 23.4K

2.42%

Cappuccino

$2.36 TTD 15.84

$1.65 COP 5,207

43.03%

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

$1.01 TTD 6.78

$1.10 COP 3,468

-8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 TTD 4.72

$0.78 COP 2,458

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 TTD 10.72

$1.72 COP 5,412

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TTD 20.01

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-6.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 TTD 15.02

$1.10 COP 3,474

103.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 TTD 15.79

$1.26 COP 3,962

86.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 TTD 15.38

$1.38 COP 4,349

65.94%

Eggs

$4.28 TTD 28.71

$2.18 COP 6,858

96.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 TTD 41.23

$4.49 COP 14.1K

36.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 TTD 38.87

$5.79 COP 18.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.49

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-52.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 TTD 38.40

$2.32 COP 7,308

146.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 TTD 13.64

$1.06 COP 3,352

91.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 TTD 29.03

$1.52 COP 4,774

184.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 TTD 29.44

$1.36 COP 4,270

222.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.70

$1.13 COP 3,552

-11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 TTD 5.53

$1.17 COP 3,689

-29.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.69

$0.90 COP 2,838

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.04

$0.90 COP 2,823

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 TTD 27.91

$2.23 COP 7,034

86.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 127

$12.12 COP 38.2K

56.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 TTD 13.12

$1.19 COP 3,743

63.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.41

$2.48 COP 7,815

10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 TTD 5.52

$0.85 COP 2,687

-3.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.42 COP 4,459

-29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.83

$1.95 COP 6,141

-63.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.52 TTD 97.5

$7.89 COP 24.8K

84.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 TTD 6.80

$0.99 COP 3,118

2.02%

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

$26.8K TTD 180.0K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

52.32%

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

$27.2K TTD 182.9K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

1.62%

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

$81.5 TTD 547

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-1.82%

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

$45.14 TTD 303

$9.70 COP 30.5K

365.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 TTD 423

$23.52 COP 74.1K

167.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.29 TTD 324

$25.26 COP 79.5K

91.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TTD 34.23

$3.95 COP 12.4K

29.11%

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

$134 TTD 901

$316 COP 994.2K

-57.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,162 TTD 48.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

19.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 TTD 352

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-12.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.95 TTD 181

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-15.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 TTD 839

$102 COP 320.1K

22.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 TTD 494

$107 COP 338.3K

-31.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 TTD 3,237

$475 COP 1.5M

1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 TTD 2,392

$374 COP 1.2M

-4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 TTD 5,637

$849 COP 2.7M

-1.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 TTD 4,799

$719 COP 2.3M

-0.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 TTD 7,993

$624 COP 2.0M

90.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-77.66%

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

Last update for Arima: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Arima 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.

Salaries run about 91% higher in Arima, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Arima versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arima vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arima costs about 15% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,731 per month in Arima 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,154 in Arima and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Arima and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Arima at $1,154. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,154 in Arima. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.