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: $1,365 in Boquete versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,091 in Boquete versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,818 in Boquete versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Boquete is roughly 34% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 2% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 PAB 5.45

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.29 PAB 30.29

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-9.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 PAB 7.57

$7.23 COP 25.2K

4.70%

Cappuccino

$3.41 PAB 3.41

$1.63 COP 5,687

109.20%

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

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$1.09 COP 3,821

23.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 PAB 0.92

$0.73 COP 2,548

26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PAB 1.73

$1.74 COP 6,065

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-36.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$1.05 COP 3,662

49.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 PAB 2.42

$1.29 COP 4,515

87.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 PAB 1.37

$1.32 COP 4,617

3.79%

Eggs

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$2.27 COP 7,927

15.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 PAB 8.93

$4.35 COP 15.2K

105.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 PAB 7.59

$5.88 COP 20.5K

29.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 PAB 10.77

$8.61 COP 30.0K

25.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 PAB 4.48

$2.25 COP 7,844

99.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

$1.07 COP 3,733

-5.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 PAB 3.10

$1.52 COP 5,322

103.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$1.42 COP 4,964

15.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$1.17 COP 4,084

87.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 PAB 1.77

$1.17 COP 4,077

51.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 PAB 2.28

$0.89 COP 3,096

156.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.90 COP 3,146

87.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 PAB 5.12

$2.25 COP 7,837

127.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 PAB 7.95

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-27.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$1.14 COP 3,977

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PAB 2.72

$2.38 COP 8,301

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 PAB 1.54

$0.84 COP 2,916

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.98 PAB 24.98

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-40.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 PAB 1.03

$1.41 COP 4,912

-26.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

$1.90 COP 6,634

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 PAB 30.45

$7.75 COP 27.0K

292.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 PAB 0.87

$1.01 COP 3,509

-13.86%

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

$25.5K PAB 25.5K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

45.02%

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

$20.3K PAB 20.3K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-23.35%

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

$54.4 PAB 54.4

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-34.94%

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

$29.41 PAB 29.41

$9.45 COP 33.0K

211.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.44 PAB 46.44

$24.11 COP 84.1K

92.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.3 PAB 88.3

$25.31 COP 88.3K

248.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 PAB 17.41

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-9.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 PAB 6.33

$4.10 COP 14.3K

54.39%

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

$252 PAB 252

$312 COP 1.1M

-19.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.89 PAB 34.89

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-39.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.02 PAB 25.02

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-23.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.5 PAB 52.5

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-47.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 PAB 61.0

$109 COP 378.8K

-43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 PAB 757

$482 COP 1.7M

56.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 PAB 640

$379 COP 1.3M

68.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 PAB 1,589

$837 COP 2.9M

89.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 PAB 1,115

$723 COP 2.5M

54.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,207 PAB 1,207

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-57.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,175 PAB 1,175

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-3.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$793 PAB 793

$541 COP 1.9M

46.65%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $757 in Boquete and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 47% 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 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Boquete pays 47% 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: $757 in Boquete versus $482 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 $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,365 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 34% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.