Cost of Living Comparison Between Caguas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Caguas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,557 per month in Caguas vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Caguas vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,415 per month in Caguas vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Caguas costs about 53% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Caguas sits 16% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 $14.76

$5.95 COP 20.8K

148.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$33.33 COP 116.3K

138.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.23 COP 25.2K

11.20%

Cappuccino

$2.66 $2.66

$1.63 COP 5,687

63.19%

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

$1.47 $1.47

$1.09 COP 3,821

34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.73 COP 2,548

46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.74 COP 6,065

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.23 COP 11.3K

20.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.05 COP 3,662

136.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.29 COP 4,515

113.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.32 COP 4,617

65.91%

Eggs

$5.26 $5.26

$2.27 COP 7,927

131.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$4.35 COP 15.2K

60.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$5.88 COP 20.5K

11.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 $10.31

$8.61 COP 30.0K

19.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$2.25 COP 7,844

158.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.07 COP 3,733

123.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.52 COP 5,322

-1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.42 COP 4,964

191.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.17 COP 4,084

110.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.17 COP 4,077

160.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$0.89 COP 3,096

159.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.90 COP 3,146

105.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.56 $10.56

$2.25 COP 7,837

369.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$11.04 COP 38.5K

28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.14 COP 3,977

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.38 COP 8,301

-4.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.84 COP 2,916

140.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 $68.5

$41.95 COP 146.4K

63.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.90 COP 6,634

-18.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.17 $15.17

$7.75 COP 27.0K

95.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.01 COP 3,509

-12.87%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

69.65%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-0.24%

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

$188 $188

$83.7 COP 292.1K

124.47%

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

$58.2 $58.2

$9.45 COP 33.0K

515.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 $56.6

$24.11 COP 84.1K

134.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.86 $21.86

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-13.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.30 $49.30

$19.14 COP 66.8K

157.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 $9.18

$4.10 COP 14.3K

123.90%

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

$304 $304

$312 COP 1.1M

-2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

76.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.52 $20.52

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-64.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.28 $35.28

$32.56 COP 113.6K

8.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 $69.5

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-30.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 $89.7

$109 COP 378.8K

-17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 $771

$482 COP 1.7M

59.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 $531

$379 COP 1.3M

40.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 $1,818

$837 COP 2.9M

117.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$983 $983

$723 COP 2.5M

35.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,333 $2,333

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-17.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$848 $848

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-30.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 $3,104

$541 COP 1.9M

473.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

13.43

-63.89%

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

Last update for Caguas: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $771 in Caguas versus $482 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 474% higher in Caguas, 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 $80.0 in Caguas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $190 – 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

Caguas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caguas costs about 53% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,335 per month in Caguas and $1,525 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Caguas and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,557 in Caguas and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Caguas at $1,557. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caguas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,557 in Caguas. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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