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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,147 per month in Arima vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Arima vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Arima vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Arima costs about 13% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arima and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Arima 15% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 TTD 58.6

$5.95 COP 20.8K

45.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 TTD 491

$33.33 COP 116.3K

117.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 TTD 50.5

$7.23 COP 25.2K

3.18%

Cappuccino

$2.44 TTD 16.49

$1.63 COP 5,687

49.69%

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

$0.97 TTD 6.55

$1.09 COP 3,821

-11.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.19

$0.73 COP 2,548

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 TTD 11.20

$1.74 COP 6,065

-4.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 TTD 19.78

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-9.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 TTD 15.70

$1.05 COP 3,662

120.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 TTD 15.47

$1.29 COP 4,515

77.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 TTD 16.09

$1.32 COP 4,617

80.30%

Eggs

$4.27 TTD 28.86

$2.27 COP 7,927

88.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 TTD 42.16

$4.35 COP 15.2K

43.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 TTD 40.67

$5.88 COP 20.5K

2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.28

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-49.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 39.95

$2.25 COP 7,844

162.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 TTD 13.23

$1.07 COP 3,733

83.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 TTD 28.28

$1.52 COP 5,322

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 TTD 30.79

$1.42 COP 4,964

220.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 TTD 6.98

$1.17 COP 4,084

-11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 TTD 5.49

$1.17 COP 4,077

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 TTD 10.30

$0.89 COP 3,096

70.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.19

$0.90 COP 3,146

34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 TTD 28.79

$2.25 COP 7,837

89.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 TTD 125

$11.04 COP 38.5K

67.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 TTD 13.18

$1.14 COP 3,977

71.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TTD 19.14

$2.38 COP 8,301

18.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

$0.84 COP 2,916

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 TTD 6.71

$1.41 COP 4,912

-29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 TTD 4.78

$1.90 COP 6,634

-62.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.60 TTD 98.7

$7.75 COP 27.0K

88.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 TTD 6.44

$1.01 COP 3,509

-5.94%

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

$26.9K TTD 181.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

52.80%

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

$27.0K TTD 182.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

1.85%

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

$78.5 TTD 531

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-6.17%

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

$44.44 TTD 300

$9.45 COP 33.0K

370.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 TTD 425

$24.11 COP 84.1K

160.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.11 TTD 319

$25.31 COP 88.3K

86.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 TTD 35.23

$4.10 COP 14.3K

27.07%

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

$133 TTD 897

$312 COP 1.1M

-57.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,146 TTD 48.3K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

19.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 TTD 346

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-11.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.10 TTD 176

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-19.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 857

$99.6 COP 347.7K

27.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 TTD 491

$109 COP 378.8K

-33.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 TTD 3,259

$482 COP 1.7M

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 TTD 2,366

$379 COP 1.3M

-7.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 TTD 5,774

$837 COP 2.9M

1.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 TTD 4,890

$723 COP 2.5M

0.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 TTD 8,011

$541 COP 1.9M

119.07%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Arima versus $482 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 119% 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 $73.0 in Arima versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $190 – 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 13% 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 $1,721 per month in Arima and $1,525 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 $1,147 in Arima and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in Arima and $312 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 $1,017, than in Arima at $1,147. 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 $1,017 versus $1,147 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.