Cost of Living Comparison Between Caranavi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Caranavi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,103 in Caranavi versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,522 in Caranavi versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,940 in Caranavi versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Caranavi is roughly 7% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caranavi 17% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 BOB 16.56

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-59.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 BOB 50.2

$7.42 COP 25.5K

-1.35%

Cappuccino

$3.25 BOB 22.28

$1.65 COP 5,675

96.97%

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

$0.70 BOB 4.81

$1.07 COP 3,673

-34.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 BOB 3.57

$0.76 COP 2,614

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 BOB 10.11

$1.72 COP 5,925

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 BOB 22.73

$3.20 COP 11.0K

3.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 BOB 10.02

$1.31 COP 4,492

11.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 BOB 19.41

$1.34 COP 4,604

111.19%

Eggs

$0.90 BOB 6.14

$2.19 COP 7,543

-58.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.92 BOB 13.16

$5.69 COP 19.6K

-66.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.67 BOB 38.91

$8.52 COP 29.3K

-33.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 BOB 22.66

$2.34 COP 8,046

41.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 BOB 12.24

$1.11 COP 3,815

60.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 BOB 10.21

$1.52 COP 5,225

-1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 BOB 8.09

$1.37 COP 4,694

-13.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BOB 7.66

$1.15 COP 3,962

-2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 BOB 4.83

$1.18 COP 4,055

-40.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BOB 7.15

$0.86 COP 2,940

20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 BOB 22.48

$2.26 COP 7,776

45.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 BOB 38.80

$11.60 COP 39.9K

-51.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 BOB 15.22

$1.20 COP 4,121

85.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 BOB 30.08

$2.48 COP 8,508

76.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 BOB 3.66

$0.79 COP 2,729

-32.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.31 BOB 98.2

$40.83 COP 140.4K

-64.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BOB 9.85

$1.47 COP 5,038

-2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 BOB 12.28

$1.92 COP 6,587

-6.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.48 BOB 99.3

$7.77 COP 26.7K

86.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

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

$14.3K BOB 98.0K

$17.7K COP 60.7M

-19.12%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

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

$101 BOB 695

$81.1 COP 278.8K

24.87%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 BOB 460

$23.86 COP 82.0K

181.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 BOB 101

$25.99 COP 89.4K

-43.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.67 BOB 149

$18.71 COP 64.3K

15.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 BOB 45.76

$4.09 COP 14.1K

63.08%

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

$146 BOB 1,000

$315 COP 1.1M

-53.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,887 BOB 19.8K

$6,022 COP 20.7M

-52.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.50 BOB 209

$31.97 COP 109.9K

-4.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.9 BOB 349

$101 COP 347.9K

-49.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 BOB 499

$105 COP 361.3K

-30.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 BOB 6,088

$485 COP 1.7M

82.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 BOB 3,923

$365 COP 1.3M

56.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 BOB 7,863

$827 COP 2.8M

38.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$963 BOB 6,606

$730 COP 2.5M

31.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$369 BOB 2,529

$551 COP 1.9M

-33.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Caranavi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $888 in Caranavi and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

Caranavi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% 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: $888 in Caranavi versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Caranavi pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,103 per month in Caranavi versus $1,028 in Medellin – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,103 in Caranavi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Caranavi. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Caranavi and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Caranavi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.