Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Cartago vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,965 per month in Cartago vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,699 per month in Cartago vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Cartago is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Cartago sits 10% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 COP 24.1K

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-4.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.34 COP 120.5K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-20.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-11.77%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,068

$2.91 COP 9,149

-44.67%

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

$1.30 COP 4,095

$1.94 COP 6,110

-32.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,724

$1.52 COP 4,783

-42.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,820

$3.09 COP 9,721

0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 COP 12.1K

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-32.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 COP 5,121

$1.36 COP 4,287

19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 COP 6,272

$2.39 COP 7,505

-16.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,689

$1.70 COP 5,346

-12.35%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,089

$2.87 COP 9,021

0.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.44 COP 20.3K

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-35.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 COP 21.8K

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-35.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 COP 31.7K

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-31.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 COP 11.1K

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-13.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,248

$1.57 COP 4,940

-14.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,703

$2.13 COP 6,682

-15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 COP 5,231

$2.21 COP 6,959

-24.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,514

$2.05 COP 6,435

-29.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,968

$1.50 COP 4,728

5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 COP 3,586

$1.19 COP 3,740

-4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 COP 3,186

$1.16 COP 3,640

-12.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.6K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 COP 40.7K

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-10.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,742

$1.58 COP 4,978

-4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 COP 7,999

$2.83 COP 8,889

-10.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 COP 3,731

$1.17 COP 3,672

1.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 COP 2,688

$1.28 COP 4,038

-32.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 COP 5,876

$2.09 COP 6,576

-10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-6.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 COP 4,191

$1.30 COP 4,080

2.31%

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

$23.6K COP 74.1M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-14.76%

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

$35.9K COP 112.8M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

1.06%

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

$113 COP 356.4K

$176 COP 553.4K

-35.60%

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

$13.29 COP 41.8K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 COP 99.0K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.54 COP 111.7K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-20.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 COP 26.7K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

36.94%

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

$658 COP 2.1M

$793 COP 2.5M

-17.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 COP 20.8M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-26.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 COP 247.3K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-8.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 COP 173.3K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 395.7K

$136 COP 428.4K

-7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 343.5K

$103 COP 324.1K

5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-39.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 COP 1.6M

$680 COP 2.1M

-26.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 COP 3.5M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-44.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 COP 3.2M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-13.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,687 COP 5.3M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-58.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.0M

$1,701 COP 5.3M

11.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

10.94

5.85%

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

Last update for Cartago: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $646 in Cartago versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Cartago versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $303 – making Cartago 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

Cartago vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Cartago and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Cartago and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $658 per month in Cartago and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cartago, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Cartago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cartago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cartago. 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.