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: $1,063 in Arue versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Arue versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,039 in Arue versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Arue is roughly 5% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arue 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 CFPF 143

$1.09 COP 3,906

28.44%

White Bread (500g)

$4.96 CFPF 506

$1.26 COP 4,508

293.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CFPF 391

$1.38 COP 4,922

176.81%

Eggs

$11.58 CFPF 1,183

$2.19 COP 7,827

428.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$57.7 CFPF 5,895

$4.40 COP 15.7K

1211.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.32 CFPF 2,790

$5.63 COP 20.1K

385.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.66 CFPF 2,519

$8.89 COP 31.8K

177.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 CFPF 539

$2.34 COP 8,349

125.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 CFPF 304

$1.06 COP 3,777

180.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.99 CFPF 816

$1.50 COP 5,374

432.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.66 CFPF 885

$1.38 COP 4,924

527.54%

Potato (1kg)

$4.34 CFPF 444

$1.15 COP 4,111

277.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 CFPF 295

$1.16 COP 4,155

149.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 CFPF 388

$0.89 COP 3,182

326.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CFPF 151

$0.84 COP 2,997

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 CFPF 1,233

$2.28 COP 8,145

429.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$29.51 CFPF 3,015

$10.64 COP 38.0K

177.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CFPF 301

$1.20 COP 4,284

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 CFPF 816

$2.47 COP 8,824

223.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$167 CFPF 17.1K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

103.27%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 CFPF 12.7K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

411.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 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 5% 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 $1,594 in Arue and $1,519 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 308% higher in Arue. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,063 per month in Arue versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,063 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 $1,013 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 5% less than in Arue. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.