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: $2,832 in Aruba versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,936 in Aruba versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,041 in Aruba versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Aruba is roughly 182% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aruba is 113% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.13 AWG 23.50

$5.91 COP 18.6K

122.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 AWG 164

$32.96 COP 103.8K

177.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 AWG 18.23

$7.43 COP 23.4K

37.15%

Cappuccino

$4.88 AWG 8.73

$1.65 COP 5,207

195.76%

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

$2.30 AWG 4.11

$1.10 COP 3,468

109.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 AWG 3.71

$0.78 COP 2,458

165.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 AWG 7.79

$1.72 COP 5,412

152.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 AWG 10.77

$3.18 COP 10.0K

89.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 AWG 4.16

$1.10 COP 3,474

110.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 AWG 6.69

$1.26 COP 3,962

196.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 AWG 6.90

$1.38 COP 4,349

179.71%

Eggs

$5.54 AWG 9.91

$2.18 COP 6,858

154.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.60 AWG 56.5

$4.49 COP 14.1K

603.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 AWG 11.57

$5.79 COP 18.2K

11.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.15 AWG 30.70

$8.97 COP 28.2K

91.19%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 AWG 11.01

$2.32 COP 7,308

165.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 AWG 5.10

$1.06 COP 3,352

168.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.93 AWG 12.41

$1.52 COP 4,774

355.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.03 AWG 14.36

$1.36 COP 4,270

490.44%

Potato (1kg)

$4.11 AWG 7.35

$1.13 COP 3,552

263.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 AWG 6.86

$1.17 COP 3,689

227.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.86 AWG 10.48

$0.90 COP 2,838

551.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 AWG 6.61

$0.90 COP 2,823

310.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.43 AWG 31.20

$2.23 COP 7,034

681.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 AWG 31.68

$12.12 COP 38.2K

46.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 AWG 8.97

$2.48 COP 7,815

102.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 AWG 2.55

$0.99 COP 3,118

44.44%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$261 AWG 467

$83.0 COP 261.4K

214.13%

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

$131 AWG 234

$9.70 COP 30.5K

1247.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 AWG 120

$23.52 COP 74.1K

185.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 AWG 109

$25.26 COP 79.5K

141.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 AWG 23.46

$3.95 COP 12.4K

231.90%

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

$300 AWG 538

$316 COP 994.2K

-4.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K AWG 32.4K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

203.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 AWG 88.0

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-18.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 AWG 118

$31.82 COP 100.2K

106.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 AWG 216

$102 COP 320.1K

18.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 AWG 1,320

$475 COP 1.5M

55.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 AWG 2,506

$374 COP 1.2M

274.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,163 AWG 5,659

$849 COP 2.7M

272.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,952 AWG 7,072

$719 COP 2.3M

449.30%

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)

$1,909 AWG 3,415

$624 COP 2.0M

205.64%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Aruba and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 206% 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: $91.0 in Aruba vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $526 vs $193 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 182% in total monthly costs ($2,832 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 206% 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: $738 in Aruba versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 172% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,832 per month in Aruba versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 182% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,832 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 182% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.