Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,063 per month in Cartagena vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,611 per month in Cartagena vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,160 per month in Cartagena vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartagena and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 20% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.09 COP 20.9K

$6.00 COP 20.6K

1.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.00 COP 161.1K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

43.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 32.4K

$7.42 COP 25.4K

27.63%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,616

$1.65 COP 5,659

-0.61%

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

$0.87 COP 2,971

$1.07 COP 3,663

-18.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,249

$0.76 COP 2,607

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,269

$1.72 COP 5,908

-27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 COP 10.1K

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-8.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 COP 3,968

$1.05 COP 3,597

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 COP 6,511

$1.31 COP 4,479

45.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,563

$1.34 COP 4,591

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,206

$2.19 COP 7,521

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 COP 23.3K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

54.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 COP 21.1K

$5.69 COP 19.5K

8.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 COP 28.0K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-4.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 COP 11.2K

$2.34 COP 8,023

40.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,819

$1.11 COP 3,804

79.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,997

$1.52 COP 5,210

-3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,665

$1.37 COP 4,680

20.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,480

$1.15 COP 3,950

39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,647

$1.18 COP 4,043

-10.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,595

$0.84 COP 2,885

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,988

$0.86 COP 2,931

-32.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,045

$2.26 COP 7,753

3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.92 COP 64.8K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,422

$1.20 COP 4,109

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,385

$2.48 COP 8,484

-60.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 COP 3,508

$0.79 COP 2,721

29.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.14 COP 99.9K

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-28.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 COP 8,451

$1.47 COP 5,023

68.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 COP 8,049

$1.92 COP 6,568

22.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 COP 17.0K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-36.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 COP 3,298

$1.01 COP 3,464

-4.95%

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

$20.8K COP 71.3M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

17.89%

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

$23.6K COP 80.8M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-10.89%

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

$140 COP 478.8K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

72.26%

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

$10.70 COP 36.7K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

13.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 COP 85.8K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

4.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 COP 120.5K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

35.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.48 COP 29.1K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-54.68%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 COP 10.1K

$4.09 COP 14.0K

-28.36%

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

$144 COP 492.3K

$315 COP 1.1M

-54.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,840 COP 20.0M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

-3.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.52 COP 166.3K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-18.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 COP 133.9K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

22.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 425.6K

$101 COP 346.9K

22.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 385.1K

$105 COP 360.3K

6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.5M

$485 COP 1.7M

47.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 COP 1.1M

$365 COP 1.3M

-8.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 COP 4.4M

$827 COP 2.8M

53.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.6M

$730 COP 2.5M

-35.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,197 COP 11.0M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

6.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$871 COP 3.0M

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-33.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 COP 1.4M

$551 COP 1.9M

-23.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69%

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

Last update for Cartagena: June 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Cartagena versus $485 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 30% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Cartagena versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $190 – 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

Cartagena vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena costs about 3% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,594 per month in Cartagena and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $144 per month in Cartagena and $315 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 Cartagena, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Cartagena at $1,063. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartagena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,028 versus $1,063 in Cartagena. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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