Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Boquete versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,063 in Boquete versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Boquete versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Boquete is roughly 35% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 4% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.44 PAB 5.44

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-8.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.54 PAB 29.54

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-9.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 PAB 7.70

$7.20 COP 26.0K

6.94%

Cappuccino

$3.41 PAB 3.41

$1.70 COP 6,140

100.59%

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

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$1.10 COP 3,966

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 PAB 0.86

$0.72 COP 2,605

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PAB 1.72

$1.67 COP 6,022

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-37.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PAB 1.55

$1.06 COP 3,809

46.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$1.25 COP 4,497

92.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.39 COP 5,022

1.44%

Eggs

$2.54 PAB 2.54

$2.26 COP 8,168

12.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 PAB 8.80

$4.33 COP 15.6K

103.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 PAB 7.71

$5.84 COP 21.1K

32.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 PAB 10.98

$8.83 COP 31.9K

24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 PAB 4.50

$2.24 COP 8,099

100.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 PAB 0.99

$1.08 COP 3,882

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 PAB 3.29

$1.53 COP 5,522

115.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$1.37 COP 4,950

15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 PAB 2.27

$1.13 COP 4,078

100.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 PAB 1.70

$1.12 COP 4,036

51.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 PAB 2.26

$0.85 COP 3,057

165.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 PAB 1.65

$0.91 COP 3,281

81.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 PAB 5.39

$2.33 COP 8,414

131.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 PAB 8.10

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 PAB 1.16

$1.19 COP 4,309

-2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 PAB 2.75

$2.37 COP 8,553

16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 PAB 1.48

$0.79 COP 2,838

87.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.41 PAB 25.41

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-38.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$1.44 COP 5,184

-29.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$1.91 COP 6,901

2.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.20 PAB 30.20

$8.02 COP 28.9K

276.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PAB 0.95

$0.94 COP 3,385

1.06%

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

$25.2K PAB 25.2K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

40.60%

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

$20.6K PAB 20.6K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-23.02%

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

$53.2 PAB 53.2

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-36.60%

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

$28.67 PAB 28.67

$9.60 COP 34.7K

198.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.86 PAB 46.86

$24.16 COP 87.2K

93.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 PAB 87.1

$25.88 COP 93.4K

236.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 PAB 17.20

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-9.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 PAB 6.38

$3.92 COP 14.1K

62.76%

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

$250 PAB 250

$306 COP 1.1M

-18.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.18 PAB 35.18

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-39.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.86 PAB 24.86

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-21.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.0 PAB 52.0

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-47.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 PAB 60.3

$107 COP 386.8K

-43.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 PAB 749

$487 COP 1.8M

53.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 PAB 649

$368 COP 1.3M

76.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 PAB 1,572

$826 COP 3.0M

90.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 PAB 1,147

$716 COP 2.6M

60.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,202 PAB 1,202

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-58.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 PAB 1,165

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-17.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$676 PAB 676

$546 COP 2.0M

23.94%

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 Boquete: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $749 in Boquete and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 24% 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: $30.00 in Boquete vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Boquete vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Boquete pays 24% 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: $749 in Boquete versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $30.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,393 in Boquete, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Boquete. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boquete, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boquete 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 35% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.