Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayey and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayey and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,173 in Cayey versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,402 in Cayey versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,630 in Cayey versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Cayey is roughly 29% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cayey 59% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 $18.76

$8.02 COP 25.4K

133.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 $84.4

$47.87 COP 152.0K

76.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 $9.46

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-4.35%

Cappuccino

$3.59 $3.59

$3.13 COP 9,937

14.70%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$1.91 COP 6,058

-7.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.51 COP 4,794

-5.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.12 COP 9,917

-5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-11.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.44 COP 4,587

54.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.49 COP 7,894

44.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.77 COP 5,631

33.33%

Eggs

$7.52 $7.52

$2.96 COP 9,396

154.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$10.07 COP 32.0K

21.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-2.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-5.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.14 COP 13.1K

25.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.61 COP 5,106

63.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.25 COP 7,129

118.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.25 COP 7,150

115.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.04 COP 6,486

90.20%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.54 COP 4,873

162.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.17 COP 3,715

197.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.31 COP 4,148

25.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.22 $12.22

$3.90 COP 12.4K

213.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.91 $15.91

$14.01 COP 44.5K

13.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.74 COP 5,534

70.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.87 COP 9,112

38.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.31 COP 4,155

94.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.19 COP 6,944

-30.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.40 $42.40

$8.71 COP 27.7K

386.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.37 COP 4,334

-25.55%

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

$40.6K $40.6K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

45.80%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-22.20%

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

$316 $316

$177 COP 562.9K

78.11%

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

$68.6 $68.6

$13.88 COP 44.1K

394.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$29.72 COP 94.4K

137.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.49 $39.49

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-12.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$9.87 $9.87

$6.65 COP 21.1K

48.42%

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

$824 $824

$813 COP 2.6M

1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

34.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-36.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 $61.4

$59.0 COP 187.2K

4.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$138 COP 438.8K

-20.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$102 COP 324.2K

9.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 $1,214

$1,062 COP 3.4M

14.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 $793

$663 COP 2.1M

19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,408 $2,408

$1,888 COP 6.0M

27.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 $1,824

$1,027 COP 3.3M

77.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,728 $3,728

$678 COP 2.2M

450.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

10.94

-40.13%

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

Last update for Cayey: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,214 in Cayey and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 450% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $84.0 in Cayey vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $305 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Cayey vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayey and Medellin differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,173 vs $1,681 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 450% higher in Cayey, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,214 in Cayey versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $824 in Cayey versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $84.0 in Cayey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,173 in Cayey, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cayey. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.