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: $2,379 in Aruba versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,202 in Aruba versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,025 in Aruba versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Aruba is roughly 42% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aruba 74% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.56 AWG 26.06

$8.02 COP 25.0K

81.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 AWG 159

$47.87 COP 149.4K

86.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 AWG 18.83

$9.89 COP 30.8K

6.37%

Cappuccino

$5.22 AWG 9.33

$3.13 COP 9,767

66.77%

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

$2.38 AWG 4.25

$1.91 COP 5,954

24.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 AWG 3.93

$1.51 COP 4,712

45.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.24 AWG 9.37

$3.12 COP 9,747

67.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 AWG 12.88

$5.75 COP 17.9K

25.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 AWG 2.95

$1.44 COP 4,509

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 AWG 5.11

$2.49 COP 7,759

14.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 AWG 5.29

$1.77 COP 5,535

66.67%

Eggs

$3.74 AWG 6.70

$2.96 COP 9,235

26.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 AWG 24.63

$10.07 COP 31.4K

36.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.08 AWG 7.30

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-59.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 AWG 3.64

$1.61 COP 5,019

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 AWG 4.40

$1.22 COP 3,792

101.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 AWG 4.26

$1.37 COP 4,260

73.72%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$240 AWG 430

$177 COP 553.2K

35.47%

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

$133 AWG 237

$13.88 COP 43.3K

855.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.6 AWG 151

$29.72 COP 92.8K

184.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$298 AWG 534

$813 COP 2.5M

-63.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K AWG 31.9K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

93.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 AWG 115

$59.0 COP 184.0K

9.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 AWG 213

$138 COP 431.2K

-14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 AWG 1,155

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-39.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 AWG 2,483

$663 COP 2.1M

109.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,213 AWG 5,749

$1,888 COP 5.9M

70.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,069 AWG 7,281

$1,027 COP 3.2M

296.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,881 AWG 3,366

$678 COP 2.1M

177.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Aruba: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Aruba and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 178% 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: $89.0 in Aruba vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $146 vs $305, with Aruba cheaper for home cooking.

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 42% in total monthly costs ($2,379 vs $1,681 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 178% higher in Aruba, 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: $645 in Aruba versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aruba pay roughly 109% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,379 per month in Aruba versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,379 in Aruba, a $2,500 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 42% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.