Cost of Living Comparison Between Caracas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Caracas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,313 per month in Caracas vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Caracas vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,162 per month in Caracas vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Caracas is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Caracas sits 4% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 VES 8,815

$8.03 COP 25.1K

35.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 VES 55.6K

$48.26 COP 151.0K

41.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 VES 8,971

$9.77 COP 30.6K

13.10%

Cappuccino

$3.53 VES 2,862

$2.91 COP 9,107

21.31%

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

$1.49 VES 1,206

$1.94 COP 6,082

-23.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 VES 1,063

$1.52 COP 4,760

-13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 VES 1,647

$3.09 COP 9,676

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 VES 2,401

$5.74 COP 18.0K

-48.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.75 VES 2,235

$1.36 COP 4,267

102.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 VES 1,819

$2.39 COP 7,470

-6.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 VES 1,522

$1.70 COP 5,321

10.00%

Eggs

$4.76 VES 3,865

$2.87 COP 8,979

65.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 VES 8,126

$9.94 COP 31.1K

0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 VES 7,391

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-15.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 VES 9,126

$14.73 COP 46.1K

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.11 VES 5,771

$4.09 COP 12.8K

73.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 VES 1,609

$1.57 COP 4,917

26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 VES 1,766

$2.13 COP 6,651

2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 VES 1,900

$2.21 COP 6,926

5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 VES 1,925

$2.05 COP 6,404

15.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 VES 1,729

$1.50 COP 4,706

42.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 VES 1,277

$1.19 COP 3,723

31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 VES 1,959

$1.16 COP 3,623

107.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 VES 3,789

$3.90 COP 12.2K

19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 VES 9,672

$14.44 COP 45.2K

-17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 VES 1,105

$1.58 COP 4,955

-13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 VES 1,664

$2.83 COP 8,847

-27.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 VES 425

$1.17 COP 3,655

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.55 VES 24.8K

$77.7 COP 243.2K

-60.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 VES 4,147

$1.28 COP 4,019

299.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 VES 2,295

$2.09 COP 6,546

35.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.28 VES 12.4K

$8.62 COP 27.0K

77.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 VES 673

$1.30 COP 4,061

-36.15%

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

$25.1K VES 20.4M

$27.7K COP 86.5M

-9.25%

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

$38.5K VES 31.3M

$35.5K COP 111.1M

8.45%

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

$23.11 VES 18.8K

$176 COP 550.9K

-86.87%

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

$11.85 VES 9,617

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.68 VES 29.8K

$29.89 COP 93.5K

22.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.0 VES 54.4K

$44.76 COP 140.0K

49.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.84 VES 14.5K

$17.06 COP 53.4K

4.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 VES 5,352

$6.20 COP 19.4K

6.29%

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

$161 VES 131.0K

$793 COP 2.5M

-79.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,113 VES 5.0M

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-32.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 VES 60.5K

$85.6 COP 267.8K

-12.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.55 VES 37.8K

$58.5 COP 182.9K

-20.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 VES 99.6K

$136 COP 426.4K

-9.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 VES 114.2K

$103 COP 322.6K

36.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 VES 493.9K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-42.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 VES 351.7K

$680 COP 2.1M

-36.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 VES 895.9K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-45.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 VES 703.0K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-25.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,457 VES 1.2M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-64.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$681 VES 552.9K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-59.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 VES 246.1K

$665 COP 2.1M

-54.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

101.10%

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

Last update for Caracas: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $608 in Caracas versus $1,060 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 119% higher in Medellin, 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 $68.0 in Caracas versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $303 – 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

Caracas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,969 per month in Caracas and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caracas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 154% less in Caracas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Caracas and $793 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 Caracas, where all-in costs run around $1,313, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Caracas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Caracas – 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 Caracas. 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.