Cost of Living Comparison Between Cadca and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cadca and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,393 per month in Cadca vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Cadca vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,605 per month in Cadca vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Cadca costs about 37% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cadca sits 4% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.10 €8.00
$5.93 COP 19.1K
53.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.99 €25.48
$33.12 COP 106.6K
-12.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.28 €8.15
$7.12 COP 22.9K
30.34%
Cappuccino
$2.63 €2.31
$1.71 COP 5,487
53.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 €1.75
$1.05 COP 3,374
89.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 €1.42
$0.72 COP 2,324
125.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.42 €2.12
$1.72 COP 5,531
40.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 €1.89
$3.17 COP 10.2K
-32.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.06 COP 3,426
-0.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 €1.51
$1.31 COP 4,215
31.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.56 €2.25
$1.33 COP 4,279
92.48%
Eggs
$3.57 €3.14
$2.28 COP 7,338
56.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.41 €13.55
$4.42 COP 14.2K
248.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.99 €6.14
$5.92 COP 19.0K
18.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.04 €7.07
$8.64 COP 27.8K
-6.94%
Apples (1kg)
$1.57 €1.38
$2.34 COP 7,545
-32.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 €1.35
$1.10 COP 3,546
40.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.27 €2.00
$1.47 COP 4,724
54.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.66 €4.09
$1.38 COP 4,439
237.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.41 €1.24
$1.17 COP 3,774
20.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 €1.55
$1.17 COP 3,765
50.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 €1.37
$0.90 COP 2,905
73.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 €0.70
$0.84 COP 2,708
-5.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.73 €5.91
$2.33 COP 7,490
188.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.60 €4.05
$11.92 COP 38.3K
-61.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.59
$1.15 COP 3,693
57.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.65
$2.42 COP 7,791
-22.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.13 €0.99
$0.84 COP 2,702
34.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.08 €25.57
$40.83 COP 131.4K
-28.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 €1.25
$1.41 COP 4,541
0.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 €1.12
$1.91 COP 6,160
-32.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.91 €12.23
$7.83 COP 25.2K
77.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.57
$0.94 COP 3,037
90.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.2K €22.2K
$17.8K COP 57.3M
41.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K €22.0K
$27.1K COP 87.1M
-7.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 €206
$83.3 COP 267.9K
181.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.30 €24.88
$9.66 COP 31.1K
192.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.93 €20.16
$24.22 COP 77.9K
-5.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.83 €36.77
$25.22 COP 81.2K
65.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.02 €14.96
$19.33 COP 62.2K
-11.95%
Cinema Ticket
$8.61 €7.57
$4.07 COP 13.1K
111.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$454 €399
$307 COP 986.5K
48.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,316 €6,431
$5,981 COP 19.2M
22.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.2 €53.8
$60.0 COP 192.9K
2.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.45 €27.65
$32.65 COP 105.1K
-3.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.5 €70.7
$101 COP 325.2K
-20.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 €90.7
$108 COP 347.6K
-4.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$587 €516
$476 COP 1.5M
23.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$486 €428
$379 COP 1.2M
28.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$983 €864
$816 COP 2.6M
20.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$766 €673
$707 COP 2.3M
8.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,552 €3,122
$3,190 COP 10.3M
11.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,407 €2,116
$1,446 COP 4.7M
66.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cadca
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$842 €741
$622 COP 2.0M
35.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.16
13.43
-69.02%

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

Last update for Cadca: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $587 in Cadca 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.

Salaries run about 35% higher in Cadca, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Cadca versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Cadca vs $192 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Cadca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cadca or Medellin?
Cadca costs about 37% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cadca and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,090 per month in Cadca and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cadca or Medellin?
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.
How expensive is transport in Cadca compared to Medellin?
Public transport costs about 40% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Cadca and in Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Cadca and $307 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Cadca or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Cadca at $1,393. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cadca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cadca or Medellin?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,018 versus $1,393 in Cadca. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Cadca or to Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cadca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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