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: $747 in Cali versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,229 in Cali versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,710 in Cali versus $2,167 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 11.9K

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-40.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 COP 94.9K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-10.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 24.1K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

0.95%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,130

$1.72 COP 5,592

-8.14%

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

$0.95 COP 3,095

$1.05 COP 3,416

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,940

$0.77 COP 2,511

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,297

$1.69 COP 5,480

-40.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 COP 8,484

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-17.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 COP 4,029

$1.05 COP 3,418

18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 4,770

$1.30 COP 4,230

13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,076

$1.40 COP 4,538

-10.71%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 8,065

$2.16 COP 7,037

14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 14.1K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 COP 17.4K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-8.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 COP 24.4K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-13.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 COP 8,108

$2.28 COP 7,415

9.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,986

$1.11 COP 3,599

-17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,749

$1.53 COP 4,976

-24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,260

$1.35 COP 4,405

-2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 COP 2,881

$1.13 COP 3,669

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,593

$1.13 COP 3,687

-1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,427

$0.85 COP 2,749

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,211

$0.91 COP 2,971

-25.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 COP 9,454

$2.34 COP 7,619

24.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 COP 41.9K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

4.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,478

$1.20 COP 3,904

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,040

$2.49 COP 8,094

-25.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,386

$0.84 COP 2,724

-13.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 COP 65.6K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-50.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 COP 5,043

$1.42 COP 4,617

9.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,171

$1.92 COP 6,227

-1.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 COP 30.7K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

23.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,190

$0.99 COP 3,219

-1.01%

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

$21.9K COP 71.3M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

21.64%

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

$29.6K COP 96.2M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

11.15%

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

$83.3 COP 270.9K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

3.11%

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

$8.94 COP 29.1K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

-10.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.55 COP 79.8K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 COP 64.3K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

-21.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 COP 47.9K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-23.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 COP 15.9K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

22.61%

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

$222 COP 720.7K

$305 COP 992.2K

-27.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 19.1M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-3.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 COP 208.1K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

10.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 COP 141.5K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

35.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 COP 248.1K

$101 COP 327.5K

-24.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 291.1K

$108 COP 350.3K

-16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 783.0K

$477 COP 1.5M

-49.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 COP 611.5K

$376 COP 1.2M

-50.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 COP 2.0M

$845 COP 2.7M

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$730 COP 2.4M

-45.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 COP 4.1M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-60.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 COP 3.2M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-27.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 COP 1.8M

$617 COP 2.0M

-10.20%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Cali and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 11% 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 $184 vs $193 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Medellin. 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: $241 in Cali versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Cali versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $747 in Cali versus $1,031 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.