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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,162 per month in Arima vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,901 per month in Arima vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Arima vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Arima costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arima and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 TTD 58.8

$5.92 COP 21.5K

46.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 TTD 494

$32.75 COP 119.1K

122.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 TTD 49.59

$7.20 COP 26.2K

1.39%

Cappuccino

$2.31 TTD 15.67

$1.70 COP 6,186

35.88%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.39

$1.10 COP 3,996

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.11

$0.72 COP 2,625

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 TTD 11.19

$1.67 COP 6,067

-1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TTD 20.26

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-3.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 TTD 15.24

$1.06 COP 3,837

111.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 16.11

$1.25 COP 4,531

89.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.63

$1.39 COP 5,060

65.47%

Eggs

$4.22 TTD 28.63

$2.26 COP 8,229

86.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 TTD 42.16

$4.33 COP 15.8K

43.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 TTD 38.83

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 TTD 28.86

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-51.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 40.10

$2.24 COP 8,159

163.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 TTD 13.33

$1.08 COP 3,911

81.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 TTD 29.99

$1.53 COP 5,563

188.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 TTD 30.47

$1.37 COP 4,987

227.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.77

$1.13 COP 4,109

-11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TTD 5.31

$1.12 COP 4,067

-30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.80

$0.85 COP 3,080

69.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.17

$0.91 COP 3,305

31.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 TTD 28.48

$2.33 COP 8,477

79.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.55 TTD 133

$11.13 COP 40.5K

75.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 TTD 12.90

$1.19 COP 4,342

59.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.52

$2.37 COP 8,617

15.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.43

$0.79 COP 2,859

1.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 TTD 6.42

$1.44 COP 5,223

-34.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.92

$1.91 COP 6,952

-62.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.71 TTD 99.9

$8.02 COP 29.2K

83.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 TTD 6.28

$0.94 COP 3,410

-2.13%

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

$27.0K TTD 183.2K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

50.57%

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

$27.3K TTD 185.2K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

1.80%

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

$79.5 TTD 540

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-5.34%

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

$44.40 TTD 301

$9.60 COP 34.9K

362.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 TTD 427

$24.16 COP 87.9K

160.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 TTD 329

$25.88 COP 94.1K

87.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TTD 34.63

$3.92 COP 14.2K

30.10%

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

$131 TTD 889

$306 COP 1.1M

-57.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,130 TTD 48.4K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

20.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 TTD 351

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-10.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.67 TTD 181

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-16.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 TTD 858

$99.9 COP 363.3K

26.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 TTD 508

$107 COP 389.7K

-30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 TTD 3,222

$487 COP 1.8M

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 TTD 2,457

$368 COP 1.3M

-1.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 TTD 5,748

$826 COP 3.0M

2.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 TTD 4,788

$716 COP 2.6M

-1.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 TTD 8,077

$546 COP 2.0M

118.07%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Arima versus $487 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 118% 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: $292 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 12% 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 $1,744 per month in Arima and $1,550 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 $1,162 in Arima and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Arima and $306 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 $1,034, than in Arima at $1,162. 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 $1,034 versus $1,162 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.