Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,053 in Cricova versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,939 in Cricova versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,825 in Cricova versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Cricova costs roughly 38% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 MDL 145

$7.89 COP 24.2K

8.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.10 MDL 494

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-34.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 MDL 185

$9.29 COP 28.5K

17.22%

Cappuccino

$1.08 MDL 18.32

$2.90 COP 8,874

-62.76%

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

$1.09 MDL 18.47

$1.81 COP 5,541

-39.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MDL 12.35

$1.55 COP 4,741

-52.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 MDL 34.27

$3.25 COP 9,962

-37.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 38.68

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-61.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 MDL 42.60

$1.38 COP 4,230

81.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.89

$2.45 COP 7,517

-78.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.49

$1.51 COP 4,617

-27.81%

Eggs

$1.30 MDL 22.06

$2.78 COP 8,516

-53.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 MDL 118

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-23.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MDL 80.0

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-55.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 MDL 214

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-13.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.31

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-71.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.15

$1.38 COP 4,219

-39.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 MDL 19.09

$2.30 COP 7,056

-51.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$2.02 COP 6,185

-43.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 12.84

$2.09 COP 6,390

-63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$1.63 COP 4,996

-30.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MDL 18.57

$1.08 COP 3,313

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 18.42

$1.25 COP 3,843

-13.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 57.4

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-16.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 80.2

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-64.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MDL 45.17

$1.60 COP 4,904

66.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MDL 76.2

$3.00 COP 9,189

49.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MDL 10.27

$1.18 COP 3,611

-49.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.42 MDL 398

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-70.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MDL 19.21

$1.61 COP 4,920

-29.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.63

$2.13 COP 6,533

-87.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MDL 117

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-19.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.20

$1.35 COP 4,142

1.48%

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

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

6.86%

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

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-29.53%

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

$249 MDL 4,235

$151 COP 463.8K

64.74%

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

$8.20 MDL 139

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-37.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.79 MDL 200

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-63.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 MDL 998

$46.33 COP 141.9K

26.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MDL 199

$17.26 COP 52.9K

-32.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 MDL 135

$6.43 COP 19.7K

23.79%

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

$119 MDL 2,015

$835 COP 2.6M

-85.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-39.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 MDL 974

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-35.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.86 MDL 490

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-47.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MDL 1,472

$137 COP 418.5K

-36.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,949

$109 COP 335.1K

4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 MDL 15.9K

$952 COP 2.9M

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MDL 3,881

$668 COP 2.0M

-65.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-28.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

1.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-20.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

$1,586 COP 4.9M

26.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 MDL 9,924

$625 COP 1.9M

-6.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

-32.89%

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

Last update for Cricova: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $936 in Cricova and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 7% 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: $29.00 in Cricova vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $297 per month, with Cricova 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

Cricova vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cricova and Medellin differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,053 vs $1,687 including rent). Cricova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $936 in Cricova versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cricova runs roughly 241% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $119 in Cricova versus $835 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,053 in Cricova versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cricova but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cricova 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 Cricova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.