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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,295 per month in Cartagena vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Cartagena vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,966 per month in Cartagena vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Cartagena is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Cartagena sits 5% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 COP 15.5K

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-38.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$135 COP 422.2K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

182.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 COP 31.8K

$9.89 COP 30.8K

3.03%

Cappuccino

$3.61 COP 11.3K

$3.13 COP 9,767

15.34%

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

$1.88 COP 5,879

$1.91 COP 5,954

-1.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 COP 5,670

$1.51 COP 4,712

20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 COP 6,425

$3.12 COP 9,747

-33.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.2K

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-15.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 COP 6,144

$1.44 COP 4,509

36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 COP 9,317

$2.49 COP 7,759

20.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,703

$1.77 COP 5,535

-14.69%

Eggs

$5.21 COP 16.2K

$2.96 COP 9,235

76.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 COP 42.5K

$10.07 COP 31.4K

35.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.97 COP 56.1K

$10.12 COP 31.6K

77.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 COP 6,464

$1.31 COP 4,077

58.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 COP 46.1K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

5.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 COP 4,362

$1.74 COP 5,439

-19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 COP 4,018

$1.22 COP 3,792

5.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 COP 185.2K

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-26.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 COP 15.1K

$1.31 COP 4,084

270.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.84 COP 12.0K

$2.19 COP 6,825

75.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.83 COP 30.7K

$8.71 COP 27.2K

12.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,300

$1.37 COP 4,260

0.73%

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

$23.9K COP 74.6M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-14.06%

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

$34.8K COP 108.7M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-2.61%

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

$80.9 COP 252.4K

$177 COP 553.2K

-54.37%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.5 COP 282.5K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

101.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 COP 26.5K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

27.52%

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

$651 COP 2.0M

$813 COP 2.5M

-19.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,929 COP 18.5M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-35.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 COP 3.4M

$1,062 COP 3.3M

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 COP 1.8M

$663 COP 2.1M

-12.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,355 COP 7.3M

$1,888 COP 5.9M

24.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 COP 3.1M

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-4.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$968 COP 3.0M

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-42.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 COP 1.5M

$678 COP 2.1M

-29.11%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,087 in Cartagena versus $1,062 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 41% 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 $135 in Cartagena versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Cartagena vs $305 in Medellin – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 30% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,942 per month in Cartagena and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $651 per month in Cartagena and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,295, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,295 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cartagena. 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.