Cost of Living Comparison Between Cruz Bay and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cruz Bay and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,913 in Cruz Bay versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,739 in Cruz Bay versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,564 in Cruz Bay versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Cruz Bay is roughly 70% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cruz Bay 112% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.74 $29.74

$8.03 COP 25.3K

270.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.7 $93.7

$48.26 COP 152.0K

94.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.85 $16.85

$9.77 COP 30.8K

72.47%

Cappuccino

$8.80 $8.80

$2.91 COP 9,167

202.41%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$1.94 COP 6,122

53.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.52 COP 4,792

160.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$3.09 COP 9,740

164.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.89 $8.89

$5.74 COP 18.1K

54.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$8.15 $8.15

$1.36 COP 4,296

499.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$2.87 COP 9,038

71.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.74 $15.74

$10.78 COP 34.0K

46.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

Apples (1kg)

$9.08 $9.08

$4.09 COP 12.9K

122.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$24.62 $24.62

$14.44 COP 45.5K

70.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

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

$346 $346

$176 COP 554.5K

96.56%

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

$139 $139

$13.37 COP 42.1K

940.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$29.89 COP 94.1K

104.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 $90.9

$44.76 COP 141.0K

103.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K $12.9K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

42.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 $1,820

$1,060 COP 3.3M

71.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 $1,476

$680 COP 2.1M

117.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,509 $3,509

$2,012 COP 6.3M

74.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 $3,537

$1,169 COP 3.7M

202.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K $10.6K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

157.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,100 $6,100

$665 COP 2.1M

816.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-54.30%

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

Last update for Cruz Bay: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,820 in Cruz Bay and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cruz Bay pays 817% 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: $94.0 in Cruz Bay vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $303, with Cruz Bay cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cruz Bay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cruz Bay and Medellin differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($2,913 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 817% higher in Cruz Bay, 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: $1,820 in Cruz Bay versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $94.0 in Cruz Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,913 per month in Cruz Bay versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $2,913 in Cruz Bay, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cruz Bay. 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.

Safety-wise, Cruz Bay and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Cruz Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.