Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerquilho and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerquilho and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $733 per month in Cerquilho vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,167 per month in Cerquilho vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,601 per month in Cerquilho vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Cerquilho is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cerquilho and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cerquilho 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 R$32.24

$5.92 COP 21.4K

9.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.30 R$141

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-13.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 R$35.36

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$1.77 R$8.84

$1.70 COP 6,140

4.12%

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

$1.31 R$6.53

$1.10 COP 3,966

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.31

$0.72 COP 2,605

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 R$5.27

$1.67 COP 6,022

-36.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 R$13.21

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-14.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.41

$1.06 COP 3,809

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 R$7.09

$1.25 COP 4,497

13.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.26

$1.39 COP 5,022

-9.35%

Eggs

$2.35 R$11.73

$2.26 COP 8,168

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 R$41.59

$4.33 COP 15.6K

92.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.18

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-68.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.39 R$26.89

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-38.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.18

$2.24 COP 8,099

-17.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.05

$1.08 COP 3,882

67.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.23

$1.53 COP 5,522

-31.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.61

$1.37 COP 4,950

10.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.45

$1.13 COP 4,078

14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 R$2.76

$1.12 COP 4,036

-50.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$3.92

$0.85 COP 3,057

-7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 R$2.62

$0.91 COP 3,281

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 R$6.21

$2.33 COP 8,414

-46.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 R$46.33

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 R$5.46

$1.19 COP 4,309

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.36

$2.37 COP 8,553

13.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R$4.43

$0.79 COP 2,838

12.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.13 R$190

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-7.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.69

$1.44 COP 5,184

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 R$5.09

$1.91 COP 6,901

-46.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 R$42.29

$8.02 COP 28.9K

5.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.01

$0.94 COP 3,385

6.38%

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

$22.2K R$111.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

24.13%

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

$28.7K R$143.4K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

7.28%

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

$47.84 R$239

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-43.02%

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

$12.65 R$63.1

$9.60 COP 34.7K

31.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.25 R$71.1

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-41.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.80 R$114

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-11.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 R$110

$19.04 COP 68.7K

15.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.33 R$26.59

$3.92 COP 14.1K

35.97%

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

$317 R$1,579

$306 COP 1.1M

3.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,865 R$34.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

15.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.72 R$153

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-46.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.83 R$89.0

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-43.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.7 R$268

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-46.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 R$355

$107 COP 386.8K

-33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 R$1,578

$487 COP 1.8M

-35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,099

$368 COP 1.3M

-40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,937

$826 COP 3.0M

-28.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 R$2,104

$716 COP 2.6M

-41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 R$8,854

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-39.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,095 R$5,463

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-22.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

13.43

-18.69%

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

Last update for Cerquilho: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Cerquilho 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cerquilho versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $190 – making Cerquilho 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

Cerquilho vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 41% more than Cerquilho, 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 $1,100 per month in Cerquilho 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 Cerquilho, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $317 per month in Cerquilho 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 15% 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 Cerquilho, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cerquilho it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerquilho costs $733 versus $1,034 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 Cerquilho. 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.