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: $1,367 in Cucuta versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,071 in Cucuta versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,774 in Cucuta versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Cucuta costs roughly 19% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cucuta 0% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 COP 21.2K

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-12.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.82 COP 128.1K

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-6.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 COP 28.4K

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-0.11%

Cappuccino

$2.58 COP 7,921

$2.90 COP 8,874

-11.03%

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

$1.41 COP 4,320

$1.81 COP 5,541

-22.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 2,741

$1.55 COP 4,741

-42.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 COP 6,114

$3.25 COP 9,962

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 COP 12.0K

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,695

$1.38 COP 4,230

10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 COP 7,422

$2.45 COP 7,517

-1.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,689

$1.51 COP 4,617

1.32%

Eggs

$2.93 COP 8,969

$2.78 COP 8,516

5.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 COP 22.8K

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-17.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 COP 32.6K

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.26 COP 40.6K

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-9.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 10.7K

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-12.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,241

$1.38 COP 4,219

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 COP 5,769

$2.30 COP 7,056

-18.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 COP 6,025

$2.02 COP 6,185

-2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,420

$2.09 COP 6,390

-31.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 4,864

$1.63 COP 4,996

-2.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 COP 3,550

$1.08 COP 3,313

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,484

$1.25 COP 3,843

-8.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 COP 13.1K

$4.03 COP 12.4K

5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 40.9K

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,635

$1.60 COP 4,904

-5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 COP 9,211

$3.00 COP 9,189

0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 COP 3,378

$1.18 COP 3,611

-6.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 5,886

$1.61 COP 4,920

19.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 COP 7,710

$2.13 COP 6,533

18.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.07 COP 27.8K

$8.52 COP 26.1K

6.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 3,984

$1.35 COP 4,142

-3.70%

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

$27.0K COP 82.6M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-4.82%

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

$35.2K COP 107.8M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-1.42%

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

$151 COP 462.2K

$151 COP 463.8K

-0.35%

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

$12.08 COP 37.0K

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-7.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.17 COP 95.5K

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-3.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.79 COP 121.9K

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-14.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 COP 20.0K

$6.43 COP 19.7K

1.40%

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

$618 COP 1.9M

$835 COP 2.6M

-25.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,224 COP 25.2M

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-7.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 COP 233.9K

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 COP 193.4K

$55.3 COP 169.5K

14.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 424.4K

$137 COP 418.5K

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 321.8K

$109 COP 335.1K

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 COP 2.0M

$952 COP 2.9M

-30.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 COP 1.4M

$668 COP 2.0M

-33.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 COP 3.1M

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-50.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 COP 2.9M

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-17.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,260 COP 6.9M

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-38.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 COP 4.5M

$1,586 COP 4.9M

-7.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.79

10.43

13.04%

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

Last update for Cucuta: August 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Cucuta and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Cucuta vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 vs $297 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,051 in Cucuta and $2,530 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $661 in Cucuta versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Cucuta versus $835 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cucuta – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $45.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,367 in Cucuta versus $1,687 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 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.