Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenaventura and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenaventura and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Buenaventura vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Buenaventura vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Buenaventura is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Buenaventura sits 6% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.0K

$8.03 COP 25.0K

-4.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.60 COP 145.4K

$48.26 COP 150.6K

-3.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 COP 27.6K

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-9.62%

Cappuccino

$2.32 COP 7,252

$2.91 COP 9,085

-20.27%

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

$1.48 COP 4,620

$1.94 COP 6,067

-23.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,066

$1.52 COP 4,749

-35.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 COP 7,226

$3.09 COP 9,653

-24.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 COP 11.3K

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-36.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 COP 4,439

$1.36 COP 4,257

4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 COP 8,459

$2.39 COP 7,452

13.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,644

$1.70 COP 5,308

6.47%

Eggs

$2.77 COP 8,649

$2.87 COP 8,957

-3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 COP 23.6K

$9.94 COP 31.0K

-24.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 COP 33.2K

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-1.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 COP 42.3K

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-8.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 COP 9,676

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-24.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,130

$1.57 COP 4,906

-15.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,723

$2.13 COP 6,635

0.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,106

$2.21 COP 6,910

-11.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,452

$2.05 COP 6,389

-30.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,655

$1.50 COP 4,695

-0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 COP 3,977

$1.19 COP 3,714

6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,102

$1.16 COP 3,615

-14.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 COP 14.0K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

14.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 COP 48.7K

$14.44 COP 45.1K

7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 COP 5,033

$1.58 COP 4,943

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 COP 9,759

$2.83 COP 8,826

10.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,814

$1.17 COP 3,646

4.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 4,797

$1.28 COP 4,009

20.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 COP 7,567

$2.09 COP 6,530

15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 COP 27.6K

$8.62 COP 26.9K

2.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,694

$1.30 COP 4,052

15.38%

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

$26.7K COP 83.3M

$27.7K COP 86.3M

-3.50%

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

$39.5K COP 123.4M

$35.5K COP 110.8M

11.32%

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

$117 COP 365.4K

$176 COP 549.6K

-33.50%

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

$12.98 COP 40.5K

$13.37 COP 41.7K

-2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.02 COP 99.9K

$29.89 COP 93.3K

7.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.99 COP 103.0K

$44.76 COP 139.7K

-26.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 COP 19.5K

$6.20 COP 19.4K

0.81%

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

$571 COP 1.8M

$793 COP 2.5M

-27.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,325 COP 19.7M

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-29.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.2 COP 262.9K

$85.6 COP 267.2K

-1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 COP 183.2K

$58.5 COP 182.5K

0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 COP 449.9K

$136 COP 425.4K

5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 COP 294.8K

$103 COP 321.8K

-8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 COP 2.4M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 COP 1.6M

$680 COP 2.1M

-25.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 COP 3.7M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-41.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 COP 2.7M

$1,169 COP 3.6M

-24.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,059 COP 6.4M

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-49.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 COP 4.5M

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-14.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

10.94

5.85%

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

Last update for Buenaventura: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Buenaventura versus $1,060 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 $47.00 in Buenaventura versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $303 – making Buenaventura 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

Buenaventura vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,288 in Buenaventura, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 33% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,932 per month in Buenaventura and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Buenaventura and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenaventura, where all-in costs run around $1,288, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Buenaventura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,288 in Buenaventura to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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