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: $2,293 in Cayey versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,473 in Cayey versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,653 in Cayey versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Cayey is roughly 122% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayey is 71% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.13 $19.13

$5.92 COP 21.4K

223.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.0 $82.0

$32.75 COP 118.2K

150.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 $9.68

$7.20 COP 26.0K

34.44%

Cappuccino

$3.57 $3.57

$1.70 COP 6,140

110.00%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$1.10 COP 3,966

61.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.72 COP 2,605

101.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.67 COP 6,022

75.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$3.10 COP 11.2K

49.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.06 COP 3,809

134.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.25 COP 4,497

177.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.39 COP 5,022

55.40%

Eggs

$6.06 $6.06

$2.26 COP 8,168

168.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$4.33 COP 15.6K

98.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.38 $8.38

$5.84 COP 21.1K

43.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$8.83 COP 31.9K

43.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$2.24 COP 8,099

161.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.08 COP 3,882

145.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.53 COP 5,522

160.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.37 COP 4,950

197.81%

Potato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.13 COP 4,078

262.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.12 COP 4,036

164.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.85 COP 3,057

263.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.91 COP 3,281

112.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 $12.15

$2.33 COP 8,414

421.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 $15.44

$11.13 COP 40.2K

38.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.19 COP 4,309

108.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.37 COP 8,553

35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.91 COP 6,901

-21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.19 $15.19

$8.02 COP 28.9K

89.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.94 COP 3,385

6.38%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

101.06%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

0.67%

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

$491 $491

$84.0 COP 303.1K

485.20%

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

$80.0 $80.0

$9.60 COP 34.7K

733.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$24.16 COP 87.2K

211.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 $12.18

$3.92 COP 14.1K

210.71%

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

$475 $475

$306 COP 1.1M

54.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

77.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.11 $45.11

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-22.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 $56.0

$31.82 COP 114.9K

76.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-7.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$107 COP 386.8K

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 $1,218

$487 COP 1.8M

150.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 $812

$368 COP 1.3M

120.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 $1,818

$826 COP 3.0M

120.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 $1,811

$716 COP 2.6M

152.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,703 $3,703

$546 COP 2.0M

578.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

13.43

-57.48%

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

Last update for Cayey: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,218 in Cayey and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 579% 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: $82.0 in Cayey vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $190 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 122% in total monthly costs ($2,293 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Cayey pays 579% more on average, 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: $1,218 in Cayey versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $475 in Cayey versus $306 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 $33.00 versus $82.0 in Cayey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,293 in Cayey, a $1,500 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 122% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.