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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Cartagena vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Cartagena vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Cartagena vs $2,120 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 21% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 COP 22.3K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.58 COP 171.8K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

45.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 COP 35.5K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

36.81%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,948

$1.70 COP 6,140

-2.94%

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

$0.81 COP 2,914

$1.10 COP 3,966

-26.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.72 COP 2,605

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,682

$1.67 COP 6,022

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 COP 10.6K

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-4.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,124

$1.06 COP 3,809

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 COP 6,715

$1.25 COP 4,497

48.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,784

$1.39 COP 5,022

-4.32%

Eggs

$2.11 COP 7,605

$2.26 COP 8,168

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 COP 25.5K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

63.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 COP 21.3K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 COP 29.4K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-7.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 COP 11.6K

$2.24 COP 8,099

42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 COP 7,059

$1.08 COP 3,882

81.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,424

$1.53 COP 5,522

-1.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 COP 5,689

$1.37 COP 4,950

15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,588

$1.13 COP 4,078

37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,892

$1.12 COP 4,036

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,619

$0.85 COP 3,057

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,144

$0.91 COP 3,281

-35.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,503

$2.33 COP 8,414

1.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 COP 66.8K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

66.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 3,367

$1.19 COP 4,309

-21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 COP 3,709

$2.37 COP 8,553

-56.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,805

$0.79 COP 2,838

32.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 COP 101.4K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-31.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 COP 8,602

$1.44 COP 5,184

65.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 8,556

$1.91 COP 6,901

24.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 COP 17.8K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-38.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,709

$0.94 COP 3,385

9.57%

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

$20.9K COP 75.4M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

16.47%

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

$23.6K COP 85.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-11.82%

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

$142 COP 514.1K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

69.62%

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

$10.96 COP 39.6K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

14.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 COP 90.9K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.27 COP 127.3K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

36.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.84 COP 31.9K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-53.57%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 COP 10.6K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

-25.00%

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

$142 COP 512.4K

$306 COP 1.1M

-53.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,910 COP 21.3M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-0.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 COP 173.8K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-16.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 COP 142.5K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

24.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 445.3K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 COP 413.6K

$107 COP 386.8K

6.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 COP 2.7M

$487 COP 1.8M

52.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 COP 1.2M

$368 COP 1.3M

-10.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 COP 4.7M

$826 COP 3.0M

58.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 COP 1.7M

$716 COP 2.6M

-33.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.1M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

5.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.1M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

40.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 COP 1.5M

$546 COP 2.0M

-22.95%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Cartagena versus $487 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 $48.00 in Cartagena versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 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 $1,593 per month in Cartagena and $1,550 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 $142 per month in Cartagena and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $1,034, than in Cartagena at $1,062. 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 $1,034 versus $1,062 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.