Cost of Living Comparison Between Boca del Rio and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Boca del Rio and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,109 per month in Boca del Rio vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Boca del Rio vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,396 per month in Boca del Rio vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Boca del Rio costs about 8% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Boca del Rio and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Boca del Rio 17% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 MX$187

$6.16 COP 20.1K

73.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.82 MX$681

$32.60 COP 106.1K

19.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 MX$136

$7.34 COP 23.9K

5.45%

Cappuccino

$3.27 MX$57.4

$1.72 COP 5,600

90.12%

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

$1.25 MX$21.88

$1.05 COP 3,420

19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$16.17

$0.77 COP 2,515

19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 MX$41.27

$1.69 COP 5,488

39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 MX$69.0

$3.17 COP 10.3K

23.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$26.31

$1.05 COP 3,423

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 MX$45.53

$1.30 COP 4,236

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.21

$1.40 COP 4,544

15.00%

Eggs

$2.37 MX$41.52

$2.16 COP 7,047

9.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 MX$140

$4.39 COP 14.3K

82.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$142

$5.88 COP 19.1K

37.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 MX$183

$8.64 COP 28.1K

20.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MX$47.22

$2.28 COP 7,426

17.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$25.10

$1.11 COP 3,604

28.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.49

$1.53 COP 4,983

13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.62

$1.35 COP 4,410

16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.18

$1.13 COP 3,674

67.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.57

$1.13 COP 3,692

79.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$21.03

$0.85 COP 2,753

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.04

$0.91 COP 2,975

6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$74.8

$2.34 COP 7,630

82.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 MX$164

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-24.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.94

$1.20 COP 3,909

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MX$50.4

$2.49 COP 8,104

15.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.43

$0.84 COP 2,728

-22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 MX$44.20

$1.42 COP 4,623

77.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$28.14

$1.92 COP 6,235

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 MX$142

$7.66 COP 24.9K

5.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.61

$0.99 COP 3,223

30.30%

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

$21.3K MX$374.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

18.41%

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

$22.7K MX$397.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-14.88%

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

$55.8 MX$979

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-30.95%

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

$22.10 MX$388

$9.95 COP 32.4K

122.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.46 MX$499

$24.18 COP 78.7K

17.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.61 MX$625

$25.08 COP 81.7K

41.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.00 MX$281

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-16.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MX$80.0

$3.98 COP 13.0K

14.57%

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

$205 MX$3,597

$305 COP 993.5K

-32.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,547 MX$62.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-41.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 MX$917

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 MX$704

$32.20 COP 104.8K

24.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 MX$1,556

$101 COP 327.9K

-11.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 MX$1,386

$108 COP 350.8K

-26.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MX$8,979

$477 COP 1.6M

7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MX$6,958

$376 COP 1.2M

5.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 MX$16.1K

$845 COP 2.7M

8.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 MX$13.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

3.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 MX$35.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-36.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,166 MX$20.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-15.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

13.43

-14.52%

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

Last update for Boca del Rio: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Boca del Rio versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Boca del Rio versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Boca del Rio vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,109 in Boca del Rio, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 8% apart. Boca del Rio costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,663 per month in Boca del Rio and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,109 in Boca del Rio and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $205 per month in Boca del Rio and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Boca del Rio at $1,109. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boca del Rio it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Boca del Rio has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,109 in Boca del Rio. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boca del Rio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.