Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Cartagena: $1,520 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. The total is higher in Medellin despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Cartagena

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,520

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cartagena and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cartagena and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,520 per month in Cartagena vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

Cartagena $1,520
Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Cartagena vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

Cartagena $2,565
Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $3,610 per month in Cartagena vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

Cartagena $3,610
Medellin $3,249

Cartagena is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cartagena and Medellin sit above the global median – Cartagena by 12%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 COP 18.2K

$8.34 COP 26.9K

-32.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 COP 457.5K

$46.53 COP 150.2K

204.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$9.47 COP 30.6K

7.60%

Cappuccino

$4.44 COP 14.3K

$3.13 COP 10.1K

41.85%

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

$2.44 COP 7,876

$1.77 COP 5,702

37.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 7,198

$1.42 COP 4,599

57.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$3.15 COP 10.2K

0.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 COP 16.3K

$5.70 COP 18.4K

-11.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 COP 6,121

$1.53 COP 4,948

24.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 COP 8,970

$2.29 COP 7,397

21.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,615

$1.94 COP 6,279

-26.29%

Eggs

$4.96 COP 16.0K

$3.07 COP 9,900

61.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 COP 43.3K

$9.99 COP 32.3K

34.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 COP 55.9K

$10.45 COP 33.7K

65.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,934

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,794

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,405

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,810

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,518

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,778

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 COP 6,639

$1.58 COP 5,101

30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 COP 45.5K

$14.04 COP 45.3K

0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 COP 4,503

$1.76 COP 5,688

-21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,756

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 4,027

$1.18 COP 3,809

5.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.0 COP 216.1K

$76.3 COP 246.3K

-12.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 COP 15.0K

$1.81 COP 5,833

156.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.69 COP 11.9K

$2.13 COP 6,874

73.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.53 COP 30.8K

$8.13 COP 26.3K

17.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,341

$1.28 COP 4,117

4.69%

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

$33.9K COP 109.5M

$34.4K COP 111.2M

-1.51%

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

$35.0K COP 113.1M

$34.1K COP 110.2M

2.61%

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

$79.0 COP 254.9K

$178 COP 573.8K

-55.57%

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 COP 177.0K

$41.94 COP 135.4K

30.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.2K

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 COP 26.1K

$7.47 COP 24.1K

8.43%

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

$630 COP 2.0M

$790 COP 2.6M

-20.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K COP 38.6M

$12.3K COP 39.7M

-2.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 COP 4.3M

$1,341 COP 4.3M

0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 COP 2.7M

$667 COP 2.2M

26.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,468 COP 8.0M

$1,976 COP 6.4M

24.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 COP 5.1M

$1,033 COP 3.3M

52.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 COP 3.0M

$1,940 COP 6.3M

-52.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$464 COP 1.5M

$646 COP 2.1M

-28.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

37.11%

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

Last update for Cartagena: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cartagena

–

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Groceries & Markets

Cartagena

–

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cartagena

–

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Eating Out

Cartagena

–

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Cartagena

–

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Getting Around

Cartagena

–

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Cartagena

–

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,347 in Cartagena versus $1,341 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 39% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $142 in Cartagena versus $47 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Cartagena vs $307 in Medellin – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Cartagena

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

17:43 5:43 PM

Same time as Cartagena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,028,736

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Cartagena Medellin 460 km

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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

Cartagena vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 11% more than Cartagena, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,279 per month in Cartagena and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,347 in Cartagena and $1,341 in Medellin. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $630 per month in Cartagena and $790 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,520 in Cartagena and $1,692 in Medellin. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,520 versus $1,692 in Medellin. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cartagena. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.