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 $1,092 per month in Boca del Rio vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,730 per month in Boca del Rio vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,368 per month in Boca del Rio vs $2,192 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 18% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.53 MX$182

$5.99 COP 21.4K

75.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 MX$684

$32.86 COP 117.4K

20.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 MX$138

$7.09 COP 25.3K

12.69%

Cappuccino

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.71 COP 6,115

90.64%

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

$1.27 MX$22.04

$1.10 COP 3,924

15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.97

$0.78 COP 2,781

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 MX$40.87

$1.68 COP 5,997

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MX$67.8

$3.07 COP 11.0K

27.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.57

$1.09 COP 3,906

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$44.16

$1.26 COP 4,508

102.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.15

$1.38 COP 4,922

18.12%

Eggs

$2.34 MX$40.46

$2.19 COP 7,827

6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 MX$139

$4.40 COP 15.7K

82.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 MX$138

$5.63 COP 20.1K

42.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 MX$184

$8.89 COP 31.8K

19.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.53

$2.34 COP 8,349

9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.06 COP 3,777

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.42

$1.50 COP 5,374

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.65

$1.38 COP 4,924

20.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.98

$1.15 COP 4,111

66.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.02

$1.16 COP 4,155

74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$20.67

$0.89 COP 3,182

33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.84 COP 2,997

15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.28 COP 8,145

78.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 MX$183

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.68

$1.20 COP 4,284

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MX$49.59

$2.47 COP 8,824

16.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.45

$0.86 COP 3,056

-30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 MX$45.20

$1.47 COP 5,264

77.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 MX$26.45

$1.96 COP 7,009

-21.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.45 MX$146

$7.74 COP 27.6K

9.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.15

$0.95 COP 3,409

34.74%

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

$20.9K MX$360.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

15.08%

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

$22.3K MX$386.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-15.66%

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

$57.4 MX$994

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-30.16%

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

$22.01 MX$381

$9.50 COP 33.9K

131.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.97 MX$484

$24.23 COP 86.5K

15.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.04 MX$623

$25.89 COP 92.4K

39.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 MX$271

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-17.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 MX$78.4

$3.93 COP 14.0K

15.27%

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

$203 MX$3,512

$309 COP 1.1M

-34.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,633 MX$62.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-39.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MX$906

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-10.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 MX$682

$32.35 COP 115.5K

21.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 MX$1,538

$103 COP 366.4K

-13.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 MX$1,387

$108 COP 387.2K

-26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MX$8,795

$476 COP 1.7M

6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 MX$6,901

$379 COP 1.4M

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 MX$16.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

10.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 MX$13.4K

$724 COP 2.6M

7.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,062 MX$35.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-26.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 MX$19.3K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-7.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Boca del Rio versus $476 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 $40.00 in Boca del Rio versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $188 – 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: $1,092 in Boca del Rio, $1,013 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 $1,638 per month in Boca del Rio and $1,519 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 $1,092 in Boca del Rio and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $203 per month in Boca del Rio and $309 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 $1,013, than in Boca del Rio at $1,092. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,092 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.