Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Cali versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Cali versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in Cali versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Cali costs roughly 27% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 13.0K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-39.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 COP 104.5K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-10.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.3K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

3.81%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,754

$1.71 COP 6,115

-5.85%

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

$0.94 COP 3,353

$1.10 COP 3,924

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,979

$0.78 COP 2,781

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,775

$1.68 COP 5,997

-36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 9,130

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,347

$1.09 COP 3,906

11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,465

$1.26 COP 4,508

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,319

$1.38 COP 4,922

-12.32%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,779

$2.19 COP 7,827

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.3K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-2.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 COP 19.5K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 COP 27.1K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,570

$2.34 COP 8,349

2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,474

$1.06 COP 3,777

-8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,274

$1.50 COP 5,374

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,548

$1.38 COP 4,924

-7.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,148

$1.15 COP 4,111

-23.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$1.16 COP 4,155

-4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,679

$0.89 COP 3,182

-15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,323

$0.84 COP 2,997

-22.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$2.28 COP 8,145

27.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 COP 41.0K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,932

$1.20 COP 4,284

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 6,584

$2.47 COP 8,824

-25.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.86 COP 3,056

-22.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.20 COP 72.1K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-51.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,485

$1.47 COP 5,264

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,707

$1.96 COP 7,009

-4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 35.0K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

26.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,304

$0.95 COP 3,409

-2.11%

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

$21.4K COP 76.4M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

17.96%

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

$30.3K COP 108.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

14.51%

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

$80.9 COP 289.0K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-1.59%

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

$8.78 COP 31.4K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-7.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 COP 85.7K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-22.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 17.4K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

23.92%

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

$226 COP 807.0K

$309 COP 1.1M

-26.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 COP 21.6M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

1.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.5K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

8.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 COP 157.7K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

36.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 280.5K

$103 COP 366.4K

-23.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 319.6K

$108 COP 387.2K

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 834.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-50.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 665.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

-50.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$838 COP 3.0M

-27.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.5M

$724 COP 2.6M

-43.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.9M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-60.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$890 COP 3.2M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-26.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 COP 1.8M

$512 COP 1.8M

-3.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.43

-13.78%

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

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 4% 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: $29.00 in Cali vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $188 per month, with Cali cheaper across the board.

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

Cali vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $234 in Cali versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Cali versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $744 in Cali versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.