Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Aruba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,854 in Aruba versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,992 in Aruba versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,129 in Aruba versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Aruba is roughly 176% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aruba is 113% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.80 AWG 22.91

$5.92 COP 21.4K

116.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.5 AWG 158

$32.75 COP 118.2K

170.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 AWG 17.67

$7.20 COP 26.0K

37.08%

Cappuccino

$4.74 AWG 8.49

$1.70 COP 6,140

178.82%

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

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.10 COP 3,966

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 AWG 3.70

$0.72 COP 2,605

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 AWG 7.47

$1.67 COP 6,022

149.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 AWG 11.13

$3.10 COP 11.2K

100.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 AWG 4.30

$1.06 COP 3,809

126.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 AWG 6.80

$1.25 COP 4,497

204.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 AWG 6.77

$1.39 COP 5,022

171.94%

Eggs

$5.34 AWG 9.56

$2.26 COP 8,168

136.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.12 AWG 57.5

$4.33 COP 15.6K

641.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 AWG 11.48

$5.84 COP 21.1K

9.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 AWG 30.48

$8.83 COP 31.9K

92.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 AWG 10.63

$2.24 COP 8,099

165.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 AWG 5.08

$1.08 COP 3,882

162.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.86 AWG 12.28

$1.53 COP 5,522

348.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.85 AWG 14.06

$1.37 COP 4,950

472.99%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 AWG 7.31

$1.13 COP 4,078

261.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.66 AWG 6.55

$1.12 COP 4,036

226.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.88 AWG 10.52

$0.85 COP 3,057

591.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.78 AWG 6.77

$0.91 COP 3,281

315.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.39 AWG 31.14

$2.33 COP 8,414

646.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.24 AWG 32.66

$11.13 COP 40.2K

63.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 AWG 9.09

$2.37 COP 8,553

114.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 AWG 2.44

$0.94 COP 3,385

44.68%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$261 AWG 467

$84.0 COP 303.1K

210.46%

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

$134 AWG 239

$9.60 COP 34.7K

1293.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 AWG 121

$24.16 COP 87.2K

180.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.2 AWG 106

$25.88 COP 93.4K

128.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$12.75 AWG 22.82

$3.92 COP 14.1K

225.26%

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

$304 AWG 544

$306 COP 1.1M

-0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K AWG 32.5K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

206.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.50 AWG 88.6

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-14.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.3 AWG 117

$31.82 COP 114.9K

105.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 AWG 217

$99.9 COP 360.6K

21.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 AWG 1,307

$487 COP 1.8M

49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 AWG 2,496

$368 COP 1.3M

278.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,237 AWG 5,794

$826 COP 3.0M

292.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,971 AWG 7,108

$716 COP 2.6M

454.53%

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)

$1,946 AWG 3,482

$546 COP 2.0M

256.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-47.88%

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

Last update for Aruba: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Aruba and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 257% 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: $88.0 in Aruba vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $527 vs $190 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

Aruba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aruba and Medellin differ by about 176% in total monthly costs ($2,854 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aruba pays 257% more on average, 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: $730 in Aruba versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 177% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,854 per month in Aruba versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 176% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,854 in Aruba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aruba 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 176% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.