Cost of Living Comparison Between Cucuta and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cucuta and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $719 in Cucuta versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Cucuta versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,518 in Cucuta versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Cucuta costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cucuta 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 COP 13.2K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-38.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.46 COP 85.3K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-28.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 COP 25.9K

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-0.97%

Cappuccino

$0.92 COP 3,352

$1.70 COP 6,186

-45.88%

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

$0.92 COP 3,340

$1.10 COP 3,996

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 COP 1,361

$0.72 COP 2,625

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 4,172

$1.67 COP 6,067

-31.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 COP 7,981

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-29.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 COP 3,145

$1.06 COP 3,837

-18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 COP 3,642

$1.25 COP 4,531

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,612

$1.39 COP 5,060

-28.78%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,845

$2.26 COP 8,229

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 COP 19.5K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

23.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 COP 19.7K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-7.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 COP 26.9K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-16.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 COP 9,002

$2.24 COP 8,159

10.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,566

$1.08 COP 3,911

-34.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,585

$1.53 COP 5,563

-53.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 COP 2,156

$1.37 COP 4,987

-56.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 COP 2,557

$1.13 COP 4,109

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 COP 2,175

$1.12 COP 4,067

-46.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 COP 2,256

$0.85 COP 3,080

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 COP 2,695

$0.91 COP 3,305

-18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 COP 8,358

$2.33 COP 8,477

-1.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 COP 41.3K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,157

$1.19 COP 4,342

-4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 6,190

$2.37 COP 8,617

-28.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 COP 2,376

$0.79 COP 2,859

-17.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 COP 111.3K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-25.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,142

$1.44 COP 5,223

-2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 COP 5,532

$1.91 COP 6,952

-20.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 COP 18.6K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-36.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,365

$0.94 COP 3,410

-1.06%

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

$17.8K COP 64.9M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-0.43%

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

$25.3K COP 92.2M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-5.41%

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

$83.9 COP 305.1K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-0.07%

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

$9.01 COP 32.8K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-6.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.01 COP 69.1K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.56 COP 85.7K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-8.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.11 COP 33.1K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-52.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.1K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-0.77%

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

$325 COP 1.2M

$306 COP 1.1M

6.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,188 COP 15.2M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-29.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-0.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.13 COP 116.8K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

0.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 COP 300.1K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-17.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 COP 255.9K

$107 COP 389.7K

-34.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 COP 939.7K

$487 COP 1.8M

-46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 COP 606.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

-54.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 COP 2.1M

$826 COP 3.0M

-29.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 COP 1.3M

$716 COP 2.6M

-49.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,628 COP 5.9M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-44.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,164 COP 4.2M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-17.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$472 COP 1.7M

$546 COP 2.0M

-13.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

13.43

-1.86%

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

Last update for Cucuta: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Cucuta and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 16% 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: $23.00 in Cucuta vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $190 per month, with Cucuta 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

Cucuta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cucuta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 16% less. 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: $258 in Cucuta versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cucuta – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $719 in Cucuta versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cucuta but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cucuta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cucuta is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cucuta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.