Cost of Living Comparison Between Arue and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arue and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,062 in Arue versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,574 in Arue versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,087 in Arue versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Arue is roughly 3% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arue 21% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 CFPF 144

$1.05 COP 3,423

32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.83 CFPF 502

$1.30 COP 4,236

271.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CFPF 411

$1.40 COP 4,544

182.14%

Eggs

$11.60 CFPF 1,207

$2.16 COP 7,047

437.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$57.4 CFPF 5,974

$4.39 COP 14.3K

1207.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.36 CFPF 2,847

$5.88 COP 19.1K

365.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.70 CFPF 2,570

$8.64 COP 28.1K

185.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.57 CFPF 580

$2.28 COP 7,426

144.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 CFPF 296

$1.11 COP 3,604

156.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.86 CFPF 818

$1.53 COP 4,983

413.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.92 CFPF 928

$1.35 COP 4,410

560.74%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 CFPF 456

$1.13 COP 3,674

287.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CFPF 298

$1.13 COP 3,692

153.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.81 CFPF 396

$0.85 COP 2,753

348.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CFPF 147

$0.91 COP 2,975

54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 CFPF 1,255

$2.34 COP 7,630

415.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$28.67 CFPF 2,983

$12.37 COP 40.3K

131.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CFPF 311

$1.20 COP 3,909

148.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.75 CFPF 806

$2.49 COP 8,104

211.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$164 CFPF 17.1K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

103.14%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 CFPF 13.0K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

415.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Arue: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

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

Arue vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Arue. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,593 in Arue and $1,546 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 298% higher in Arue. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,062 per month in Arue versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,062 in Arue, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Arue. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Arue. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.