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: $2,848 in Aruba versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,042 in Aruba versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,236 in Aruba versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Aruba is roughly 180% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aruba is 112% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.10 AWG 23.44

$5.95 COP 20.8K

120.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 AWG 160

$33.33 COP 116.3K

168.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 AWG 18.02

$7.23 COP 25.2K

39.28%

Cappuccino

$4.82 AWG 8.63

$1.63 COP 5,687

195.71%

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

$2.29 AWG 4.10

$1.09 COP 3,821

110.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 AWG 3.56

$0.73 COP 2,548

172.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 AWG 7.66

$1.74 COP 6,065

145.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 AWG 11.12

$3.23 COP 11.3K

92.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 AWG 4.23

$1.05 COP 3,662

124.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 AWG 7.00

$1.29 COP 4,515

203.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 AWG 7.01

$1.32 COP 4,617

196.97%

Eggs

$5.42 AWG 9.69

$2.27 COP 7,927

138.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.06 AWG 57.4

$4.35 COP 15.2K

637.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 AWG 11.83

$5.88 COP 20.5K

12.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.67 AWG 29.83

$8.61 COP 30.0K

93.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 AWG 10.61

$2.25 COP 7,844

163.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.07

$1.07 COP 3,733

164.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.96 AWG 12.46

$1.52 COP 5,322

357.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.92 AWG 14.18

$1.42 COP 4,964

457.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 AWG 6.98

$1.17 COP 4,084

233.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 AWG 6.80

$1.17 COP 4,077

224.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.15 AWG 11.01

$0.89 COP 3,096

591.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.71 AWG 6.63

$0.90 COP 3,146

312.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.60 AWG 31.49

$2.25 COP 7,837

682.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.15 AWG 32.49

$11.04 COP 38.5K

64.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 AWG 8.87

$2.38 COP 8,301

107.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 AWG 2.54

$1.01 COP 3,509

40.59%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$257 AWG 461

$83.7 COP 292.1K

207.47%

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

$133 AWG 238

$9.45 COP 33.0K

1307.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 AWG 120

$24.11 COP 84.1K

177.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 AWG 106

$25.31 COP 88.3K

134.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 AWG 23.22

$4.10 COP 14.3K

216.34%

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

$303 AWG 542

$312 COP 1.1M

-2.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K AWG 31.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

194.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 AWG 91.1

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 AWG 118

$32.56 COP 113.6K

103.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 AWG 216

$99.6 COP 347.7K

21.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 AWG 1,295

$482 COP 1.7M

50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,382 AWG 2,473

$379 COP 1.3M

264.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,200 AWG 5,727

$837 COP 2.9M

282.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,041 AWG 7,233

$723 COP 2.5M

458.88%

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)

$1,943 AWG 3,477

$541 COP 1.9M

259.18%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $724 in Aruba and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 259% 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: $90.0 in Aruba vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $528 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 180% in total monthly costs ($2,848 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aruba pays 259% 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: $724 in Aruba versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 178% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,848 per month in Aruba versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,848 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 180% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.