Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $687 per month in Calarasi vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Calarasi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,470 per month in Calarasi vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Calarasi is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Calarasi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 49% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.69 MDL 150

$5.95 COP 20.8K

46.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.05 MDL 623

$33.33 COP 116.3K

8.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$7.23 COP 25.2K

4.15%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.65

$1.63 COP 5,687

15.95%

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

$0.90 MDL 15.59

$1.09 COP 3,821

-17.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.15

$0.73 COP 2,548

-10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 MDL 30.56

$1.74 COP 6,065

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 MDL 41.52

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-25.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.44

$1.05 COP 3,662

18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.62

$1.29 COP 4,515

-56.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MDL 26.01

$1.32 COP 4,617

14.39%

Eggs

$2.48 MDL 42.89

$2.27 COP 7,927

9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 MDL 181

$4.35 COP 15.2K

140.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 95.7

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-5.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.82 MDL 152

$8.61 COP 30.0K

2.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.69

$2.25 COP 7,844

-59.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.63

$1.07 COP 3,733

71.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.35

$1.52 COP 5,322

11.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.19

$1.42 COP 4,964

51.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 14.07

$1.17 COP 4,084

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 MDL 10.06

$1.17 COP 4,077

-50.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.44

$0.89 COP 3,096

46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MDL 15.09

$0.90 COP 3,146

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 MDL 57.1

$2.25 COP 7,837

47.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MDL 22.04

$1.14 COP 3,977

12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 MDL 34.65

$2.38 COP 8,301

-15.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MDL 34.43

$1.41 COP 4,912

41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$1.90 COP 6,634

-85.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 88.3

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-34.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.56

$1.01 COP 3,509

34.65%

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

$32.3K MDL 558.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

83.85%

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

$31.4K MDL 542.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

18.50%

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

$169 MDL 2,919

$83.7 COP 292.1K

102.01%

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

$7.73 MDL 134

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-18.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.87 MDL 188

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-54.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 MDL 130

$4.10 COP 14.3K

83.41%

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

$392 MDL 6,771

$312 COP 1.1M

25.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,618 MDL 131.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

27.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 MDL 1,149

$58.0 COP 202.6K

14.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 MDL 942

$32.56 COP 113.6K

67.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,910

$99.6 COP 347.7K

11.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,149

$109 COP 378.8K

14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

13.43

-31.20%

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

Last update for Calarasi: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Calarasi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Calarasi vs $190 in Medellin – so Calarasi 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

Calarasi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,031 per month in Calarasi and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $687 in Calarasi and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $392 per month in Calarasi and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. 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.