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: $717 in Cucuta versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Cucuta versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,519 in Cucuta versus $2,144 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

$3.57 COP 12.2K

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-40.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 COP 79.4K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-29.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 COP 25.0K

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-1.48%

Cappuccino

$1.00 COP 3,420

$1.65 COP 5,659

-39.39%

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

$0.93 COP 3,173

$1.07 COP 3,663

-13.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 COP 1,191

$0.76 COP 2,607

-53.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 COP 3,966

$1.72 COP 5,908

-32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 COP 7,429

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-32.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 COP 2,865

$1.05 COP 3,597

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 COP 3,384

$1.31 COP 4,479

-24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,449

$1.34 COP 4,591

-24.63%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 7,364

$2.19 COP 7,521

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 COP 18.1K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

19.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 COP 18.0K

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 COP 25.9K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-11.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 COP 8,495

$2.34 COP 8,023

5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,574

$1.11 COP 3,804

-32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,538

$1.52 COP 5,210

-51.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 COP 1,999

$1.37 COP 4,680

-57.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,591

$1.15 COP 3,950

-33.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 COP 2,184

$1.18 COP 4,043

-45.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 COP 2,047

$0.84 COP 2,885

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,394

$0.86 COP 2,931

-18.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 8,269

$2.26 COP 7,753

6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 COP 39.2K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,886

$1.20 COP 4,109

-5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,853

$2.48 COP 8,484

-31.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 COP 2,224

$0.79 COP 2,721

-17.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.05 COP 103.0K

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-26.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,851

$1.47 COP 5,023

-3.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 COP 5,129

$1.92 COP 6,568

-21.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 COP 18.3K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-31.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,450

$1.01 COP 3,464

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

$17.6K COP 60.4M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

-0.22%

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

$25.9K COP 88.8M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-2.05%

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

$86.3 COP 295.6K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

6.35%

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

$9.33 COP 32.0K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.15 COP 65.6K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-19.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.04 COP 79.0K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-11.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.21 COP 31.6K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-50.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 COP 13.2K

$4.09 COP 14.0K

-5.87%

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

$322 COP 1.1M

$315 COP 1.1M

2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,171 COP 14.3M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

-30.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 COP 203.5K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-0.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 COP 110.3K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 COP 283.5K

$101 COP 346.9K

-18.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 COP 244.2K

$105 COP 360.3K

-32.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 COP 858.2K

$485 COP 1.7M

-48.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 COP 571.7K

$365 COP 1.3M

-54.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 COP 2.0M

$827 COP 2.8M

-29.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$730 COP 2.5M

-50.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,680 COP 5.8M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-43.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 COP 4.1M

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-8.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$464 COP 1.6M

$551 COP 1.9M

-15.82%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $250 in Cucuta and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 19% 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 $165 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 19% 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: $250 in Cucuta versus $485 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 $717 in Cucuta versus $1,028 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 43% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.